Descendants
by Luna Hinomura
Summary: A sequel to Here Comes Neko! concerning the children of Ranma chars. It has a more serious tone throughout. Status: Chapter 10 is in the works.
1. A Cold Throne

It had been too long; she knew that could only mean one of two things, if   
not both. Yet in her heart, she already knew the truth. She could feel that   
her body had already responded with the necessary preparations. In some ways,   
it could be a happy occasion, if only those whom she confessed the secret to   
would accept it as one. She knew only one person it would not be difficult to   
tell, but had no idea what his reaction would be.  
  
"Mousse..."  
  
The young man she'd addressed put down his chopsticks, and wiped his mouth   
with a napkin, capturing the grains of rice that had chosen to stick there.   
"Yes?"  
  
Hesitation rose up in her mind, as she realized she hadn't taken their   
current activities into account. Breakfast obviously wasn't exactly the best   
time and place to break the news. "Ah... um... so how do you like the rice   
porridge?" she asked hastily instead.  
  
"It's good, just like any other rice porridge. I actually preferred that   
Chinese cafe in that other town, with the dou hua."  
  
"Soft tofu? You like that better for breakfast?"  
  
"Well, even though rice is cheaper, it's isn't that great when it comes to   
nutritional value. I used to eat salty dou hua a lot when traveling."  
  
"Oh." A giggle.  
  
"Shampoo, don't laugh at me." He did his best to sound indignant, but he   
couldn't help laughing as well.  
  
Descendants  
(a sequel to Here Comes Neko!)  
A Ranma Nibunnoichi fan fiction  
by Luna Hinomura  
  
Chapter 1: A Cold Throne  
  
"Xiaojie(1), did you call me?"  
  
(1) Miss, a young lady  
  
The adolescent teen looked up from her desk, and smiled pleasantly at her   
servant girl. However, she didn't like the overly polite manner Jing always   
used. She herself was only one or two years older than Jing, and always wished   
they could be friends instead of mistress and servant. "Yes I did, Jing. But   
first, must I remind you yet again? Please just call me Xiao(2) Lan like   
everyone else does. I wanted to ask for your opinion."   
  
(2) small; little (similar to adding -chan in Japanese)  
  
Jing's forehead furrowed in confusion. Being only a servant girl, she had   
never studied much or learned anything other than how to perform basic duties   
around the household. Her only skillful task was playing games with Lan when   
they were both bored. "Why does Lan Xiaojie want my opinion?"  
  
It seemed that Jing's habit could be slightly corrected, but never fully   
broken. Nevertheless, Lan was still determined to someday force her to choose a   
more friendly title rather than the most polite one. "It's about the current   
situation of this village," Lan explained, standing up. She began to pace   
around the room, a small office. "I wanted to ask your opinion because you, as   
our loyal servant, have seen and heard the many things that go on within this   
building. You know the information discussed here is not always available to   
other members of the village."  
  
"I beg your pardon, Lan Xiaojie. I'm only a servant; I hear, but don't   
understand these matters."  
  
"All right, then just let me talk to myself." She circled the room   
slowly, occasionally pausing to look out the windows. "I suppose you could say   
I have a bad feeling about that woman that my cousin Jie has allied himself   
with. We had been quite close as children, but after so many years, the strain   
of visiting him just to keep our relations on good terms is too much for me. I   
know it hasn't escaped your notice, that we have gradually become estranged. My   
father and I are practically the only family he has, yet he refused a position   
when he was offered one. It just doesn't make any sense to me! I always   
thought he had incredible ambition for himself politically, if not in his   
martial art..."  
  
"Is Xiaojie disappointed in Jie?"  
  
"No, for he is my cousin and I love him despite everything. But lately...   
the situation has become unpleasant between us. We have fallen out with each   
other so slowly that I did not notice how distant we have become until now. I   
miss the carefree days we passed as children, when all we knew was martial arts   
without the politics thrown in."  
  
"If your mother had not passed away, she could have helped you bear this   
burden." Jing was trying her best to sound helpful and sympathetic, but her   
words struck a hard chord.  
  
Lan's tone suddenly turned cold. "If my mother had not passed away, she   
and my father would have handled all of it. This village would recognize him as   
the rightful patriarch and my mother the matriarch. However, that is not the   
case. Jing, please leave."  
  
"Xiaojie, I apologize for speaking so unthoughtfully..." Jing murmured as   
she left the room, bowing respectfully.  
  
She sighed and sagged into a chair. Lan hated all aspects of the   
political system utilized by her village. Most of all, she despised the way her   
father was looked down upon, how they mistreated him. It hurt her to know that   
his only way of dealing with that abuse was to just accept it. It just didn't   
seem right. She did not think of men and women as equals, but felt that each   
should have the same opportunities and right to life as the other.  
  
As she rummaged through the room for some paper to write a message with,   
something fell to the floor from the edge of a cabinet. It landed with a loud   
crack, and she winced, hoping it wasn't broken. Lan gasped when she realized   
what exactly it was she had accidentally knocked down. Her slender fingers   
trembling, she picked it up and turned it over a few times, in disbelief. It   
was a mirror, a gift to her from long time ago, a friend that she held very dear   
in her mind and heart.  
  
Lan stared at the mirror, amazed at her appearance. It didn't seem so,   
but must have been a very long time since she last concerned herself with the   
daily trivialities of beautifying herself through makeup and other such baubles.   
  
Her dark red-violet hair was styled in its usual fashion, part of it   
pulled into a single loose braid, the rest of it loose. Here and there, stray   
strands were sticking out at odd angles, which she tried to smooth down. Her   
bangs, cut shorter above her eyebrows but left longer near the sides of her   
face, were oily and sticking a bit to her skin. She attributed that to the heat   
of summer weather.  
  
Climbing to her feet in a hurry, Lan scoured the room for writing   
materials, then moved onto the adjacent one to search. She had originally   
planned on sending a message to Jie concerning the upcoming annual martial arts   
tournament, but now she wanted to write a letter to her old friend, Saotome   
Hideo. Preparations for the tournament could wait for that, at least.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Saotome Ranma, and Akane, it's nice to see you again," Lan's father   
greeted his friend with genuine tones of nostalgia, saluting them in the Chinese   
fashion. He gestured inwards towards his sitting room, inviting them within.  
  
"Thanks, pal," the man named Ranma said, picking a random seat and sitting   
down. The blue-haired woman sat down next to him. "This is our son, Hideo," he   
continued, pulling a young boy out from hiding behind his chair. The boy   
chuckled a bit and grinned mischievously. "Say hello to Mousse."  
  
"Hajimemashite, Mousse," the boy said.  
  
"Hajimemashite, Hideo-kun," Lan's father replied. "He's very well   
behaved."  
  
The blue-haired woman named Akane laughed, as Hideo broke free of Ranma's   
hold and began wandering around the room, poking about. "Yes, when he wants to   
be, I think!" The grown-ups ignored him as he amused himself with whatever he   
could find. Their servant, an elderly man, followed him about and tried to   
prevent mishaps before they could occur. Lan giggled.  
  
"Whatcha doin', Lan-Lan?"  
  
Lan jumped from surprise at the sudden voice, and nearly fell out from her   
hiding place. She turned and stared, wide-eyed at her cousin. Jie had somehow   
managed to sneak up on her without anyone's notice, even her own. "You won't   
tell Daddy on me, will you?" she asked. "Please don't..."  
  
"Hey, if I told Uncle, I'd get in trouble too! So don't worry."  
  
She nodded, and turned back to watching the strangers. They were from a   
strange, faraway country called Ri Ben, but for some reason they pronounced it   
Nee Poun. They spoke a different language, too, one that sounded kind of funny   
to her. Lan knew a little bit of it because her father had taught her some, but   
she still didn't know who these people were. She wondered where they had met,   
and why he knew them.  
  
"Mom, Dad, someone's spying on us!" Hideo exclaimed suddenly.  
  
"Hideo! Behave yourself!" Akane reprimanded.  
  
"But Mom--"  
  
"He's right," Ranma said.  
  
"I quite agree," Mousse added with a grin. He stood up, walked over and   
dragged both Lan and Jie out from where they'd been crouching behind a table.   
The circular table was adorned with a tablecloth, which they'd been using to   
prevent themselves from being seen.  
  
Mousse feigned a exasperated sigh. "What am I ever going to do with you   
two?"  
  
Ranma and Akane laughed. "And here are the children you wrote to us   
about! Introduce us, please," Akane requested.  
  
"This is YiJie and YiLan, but people around here usually address them as   
A-Jie and Xiao Lan. I suppose you could consider it the Japanese equivalent of   
Jie-kun and Lan-chan." Jie fought against Mousse's grip on his shoulder.  
  
"What are you saying, I can't even understand a word!" Jie complained.  
  
"Daddy, what did you tell them?" Lan joined in.  
  
"Nothing that you two need to be concerned with. Come, why don't you take   
Hideo to play?"  
  
"Okay!" both Lan and Jie chimed, grabbing Hideo and running out into the   
courtyard.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Xiaojie!" The frantic calling abruptly drew Lan out of her reminiscing,   
and her pen scratched across the sheets of paper held beneath her hands. It   
ripped through part of one page, already half-filled with Japanese writing.  
  
"What is it, Jing?" she asked hurriedly, standing up to gather the papers   
together absentmindedly into an organized mess on the desk. "What's so   
important that you have to rush in here while I'm busy, and scare me half to   
death?" Lan hadn't consciously meant to word her question so unpleasantly, but   
it came out that way.  
  
Jing was obviously flustered; she wrung her hands and continuously shifted   
her weight from one leg to the other as she talked. "I'm-- I'm so sorry,   
Xiaojie, b-but there is in an urgent message from you from the house of Chen   
Fang."  
  
Alarm rose up in her mind, and her eyes widened in recognition of the   
name. The papers she'd been holding dropped from her limp hands onto the   
desktop, and Lan slowly eased herself back into the chair. "Chen Fang? What   
does she want? Is she here, or has she sent a messenger?"  
  
"She... she sent--"  
  
"Hello, Lan-Lan," a voice spoke patronizingly from behind Jing. Jing   
jumped at the sound, but bowed and fairly ran out of the room, all too happy to   
be out of Jie's presence. Jie forcefully closed the door behind her, all but   
slamming it shut.  
  
Lan forced herself to keep her words polite. "Cousin, if you have   
something important to say, it's improper for me to receive you in this room,   
and unbecoming of you to force your way in. I ask you not to do so in the   
future."  
  
"And whose fault is that?" Jie retorted, his voice smug. "Did I not   
remind you, weeks ago, that you and Chen Gu'niang(3) need to discuss the details   
of the upcoming tournament? It has been a long time and we have heard not one   
word from you."  
  
(3) Lady; a woman (similar to adding -sama in Japanese)  
  
"Let me just remind you that you no longer reside in this respected   
household, and therefore cannot simply come and go as you please. You willingly   
gave up those privileges the day you left." Lan cleared her throat, her initial   
anger with her cousin beginning to die down. "Actually, I was in the midst of   
writing you an message before you interrupted me."  
  
"Ahh," Jie murmured, crossing his arms and circling the room with a   
critical eye. "So that is why you're sitting in this stuffy little office.   
It's not good for much anything else. I used to hate this room..."  
  
"And yet, you haven't even been *in* it for almost a decade," Lan snapped   
back.  
  
"Hah!" Jie had strategically circled close to the desk while pacing the   
room, and snatched up the letter addressed to Saotome Hideo. "I see what the   
problem is, now! You've got your head stuck in the past. Well, cousin, a word   
of advice: quit digging up skeletons from times long ago, and start looking   
ahead to the future! How can you hope to carry on the traditions of our village   
if you can't even concern yourself with other people's problems?"  
  
"I--"  
  
"And you lied to me! Your own cousin!" He tore the letter in half and   
threw it down, then deliberately pushed the papers off the desk, scattering them   
about the floor. "How much do you really care about your village, or the duty   
your birthright has given you?"  
  
"Shut up!"  
  
Jie's tone became even more patronizing, mocking her. "You, you just want   
your boyfriend to come and watch you fight so you can blink your eyelashes at   
him and smile as you pound your fists into your opponent! Oh, how romantic!"  
  
"Jie, listen to wh--"  
  
"No, *you* listen. For someone like you, holding such a high position,   
when duty knocks on your door, you answer! Know that blood is thicker than   
water, and I am your cousin; he is a nobody from another country who probably   
doesn't even remember you exist! And always, always remember: our mothers were   
twins, and therefore we are practically brother and sister."  
  
"But we are not brother and sister," Lan retorted through clenched teeth.   
Her cousin scoffed, but remained silent, finished with what he had to say. Jie   
turned to leave, whirling around so quickly that it sent his thin, long ponytail   
fluttering through the air. Lan chose not to summon Jing, preferring to let him   
take his leave solitarily.  
  
Just before exiting the room, Jie stopped, and spoke without turning   
around. "Giving you the responsibility of organizing this tournament is really   
just a way for the council to test your leadership abilities. In the end, all   
I'm doing is trying to help you, if only you'd let me." With that, Jie   
noiselessly shut the door behind him.  
  
A growl began to grow at the back of Lan's throat, and erupted into a   
loud, aggravated scream. She kicked over the chair behind her desk and began   
releasing her pent-up frustration by beating the various inanimate objects   
around the room. Her rampage might have continued for much longer if she hadn't   
turned to kick the papers on the floor, and instead noticed the tiny, careful   
characters of the letter she'd written to Hideo. Lan bent down and hunted   
around for the separate pieces of the note, fitting them together. Before Jie   
had come in, she'd written, 'It is my greatest hope that you and my cousin Jie   
might patch up the differences between you two, for as children, we didn't know   
any better. Now, we are nearly adults, and more understanding of the matters in   
this world.'  
  
She couldn't help but to cry softly.  
  
End of Chapter 1  
  
Author's note:  
* Actually, adding A- to the beginning of someone's name is more customary in   
Taiwan, and not mainland China (for example, the Taiwanese popstar A-Mei (Full   
name = Zhang Hui Mei)). 


	2. The House of Chen Fang

He stopped in the middle of his actions, and just laid there, befuddled,   
letting Shampoo's words sink in. A million questions arose in his mind, but he   
did not know which one would be most appropriate to ask. When he finally   
glanced down and gazed deeply into Shampoo's eyes, he could see expectancy, even   
fear. He hugged her close then, and felt her nestle her face against his neck,   
seeking comfort.  
  
"So where do we go from here?" he asked, one hand gently petting her   
luxurious, long purple hair.  
  
"I... I don't know," Shampoo suddenly pulled away from him, and kept her   
gaze turned down, away from his. Was she afraid to match his stare?  
  
Mousse sat up and placed his hand on her petite shoulder. "Shampoo,   
what's wrong? Do you already have a place in mind?"  
  
"Actually, yes, I do... but..." Shampoo began to shiver, and Mousse   
wondered how much was from the cold, how much from pure anxiety. "Would you   
hate me for this?"  
  
He stretched the blanket over her shoulders and hugged her tight from   
behind, rocking with her to a gentle rhythm. Though it wavered a bit, his voice   
was clear, strong, and convincing. "Shampoo, you know that I love you more than   
anything. I want to be with you no matter where you go or what happens."  
  
Shampoo smiled and turned her head to the side and stretched up an arm to   
pull Mousse's head down to hers, their lips meeting in a passionate kiss.   
  
She was startled when Mousse suddenly pulled back away from her. "This   
isn't right," he said nervously, with a slight stutter. "In your... ah...   
condition... uh... let's just cuddle, okay?" The last few words came out in a   
rush.  
  
"We can do a *little* more than that," Shampoo said with an impish smile,   
leaning forward to press her lips against his again.  
  
Descendants  
(a sequel to Here Comes Neko!)  
A Ranma Nibunnoichi fan fiction  
by Luna Hinomura  
  
Chapter 2: The House of Chen Fang  
  
Striding through the courtyard, Jie hardly noticed the intricacies of the   
garden surrounding him. Plants, in sienna-colored clay pots now turning gray,   
lined the dirt path from the street to the main house. The path had been   
traveled so often that the dirt had been packed down hard, and scarcely any dust   
rose up from each step he took, though he was enraged to the point where his   
feet were fairly pounding into the ground. No servants escorted him from the   
gate to the main house, nor did Jie choose to call or wait for any to come.   
Instead, he marched through the rooms and hallways and ignored the worried cries   
of the various residents until he came to his final destination, the sitting   
room of Chen Fang.  
  
Jie knocked, and then simply barged in, awaiting no reply. Chen Fang was   
sitting at a table with a lengthy document in hand, reading some material that   
had been given to her. A teacup rested on the table next to her, producing   
minute vapors of steam. Apparently, she had just settled herself down.  
  
"What is this about?" Chen Fang asked, her tone indicating no alarm or   
annoyance at being unexpectedly disturbed. Her voice was rich and full, perhaps   
a bit deep for a woman's voice, but that only added to her mysterious and   
somewhat sexy charm. She turned to adjust the position that had been sitting   
in, in order to better face Jie, and a cascade of long red hair fell down over   
her shoulder. Absentmindedly, she ran her fingers through it, straightening out   
the tangles. Unlike most women of the village, she rarely styled her hair, but   
only let it down, growing it out long, and had a fancy for wearing expensive   
clothing. Today, she was wearing a modern qipao, indicating that meeting some   
important people had been on her agenda. Jie did not care to make such events   
known to him, but knew Chen Fang wouldn't have worn that only for him. She   
hadn't expected him back so early, either.  
  
Seeing Chen Fang carrying herself in such a composed manner caused Jie   
some embarrassment. Refusing to feel regretful over his actions, he only   
cleared his throat and saluted, pressing his right fist against his left palm.   
"Chen Gu'niang, I bring you news from the Matriarch's household."  
  
In hearing this, Chen Fang sat up straight in surprise. It pleased Jie   
greatly to know that she was interested in what he had to say. Jie held Chen   
Fang in the greatest admiration, and always did his best to prove it to her   
whenever possible. He hoped she would not be disappointed from what information   
he had gained earlier that morning.  
  
"Sit down, Jie," Chen Fang offered, gesturing vaguely towards a seat near   
hers. He saluted once more, and as he sat down, adjusted the chair to the best   
position for their mutual conversation. Absentmindedly, Chen Fang rolled the   
document back into a tube, tying it with a thin ribbon of red silk. When Jie   
was finally settled, the lady Chen took another sip of her fragrant tea, and   
peered at him, eyes full of curiosity. "Now, tell me, what is so important?   
Has she any news of the tournament, or her preparations?"  
  
"Neither, Chen Gu'niang," Jie replied. "On the other hand, I found no   
indication that she had done anything to prepare for the upcoming tournament.   
Instead, she was writing a letter in Japanese-- and the only person I know she   
would write to is that good-for-nothing Saotome Hideo!"  
  
Chen Fang took a moment to consider his words, unmoved by his emotional   
outcry. "I see. Then, had you any indication this was true?"  
  
The tone of his voice in Jie's reply still matched his annoyance, and   
anger. "She did not deny it when I accused her. In fact, it almost seemed as   
if she wished to protect him!" Little white lies, but Jie didn't care-- the   
lady Chen did not need to know that Lan actually hadn't had any time to deny his   
accusations or explain herself because he hadn't allowed her to.  
  
"Jie, you know we cannot always be guessing at half-truths," Chen Fang   
admonished severely, her voice stern though it did not rise in volume. "It does   
not suit our purpose, nor fit our goal. Control your temper, and do not forget   
what we must do to prove to the High Council that YiLan is unfit to rule as a   
Matriarch. It is absolutely necessary to break away of those silly traditions,   
for our village's future!"  
  
[The traditions aren't silly; it's the usage that I don't agree with,] Jie   
thought, not daring to voice his contradiction aloud. Instead, he turned his   
head and glared at nothing, too proud and a bit embarrassed to even look at Chen   
Fang and acknowledge her words.  
  
Having become acclimated to his personality over the years, Chen Fang   
simply took another sip of tea, sighed, and sat back in her chair. "Do not   
forget that while you are still in my home, you cannot always do as you please;   
you must still answer to me. Only *I* witnessed your childhood, your growth.   
Your uncle did nothing, but sat in his house and raised a daughter; that cousin   
of yours, whom hardly even treats you like family."  
  
"...but she once did," Jie admitted in a soft mumble, his voice filled   
with hurt.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Lan-Lan could always run fast, and was already far ahead. Jie knew he   
could catch up because pace was faster than hers, and his legs were a little   
longer. Being a boy, he was also stronger. On the other hand, Lan-Lan was   
better at starting off with a quick pace. So now she was in front of him,   
holding the hand of their new friend, Hideo.  
  
Jie noticed that Hideo was laughing, but the Japanese boy looked kind of   
nervous, too. Although Jie and Lan-Lan could speak Putong Hua(1) to each other,   
neither one of them could speak Hideo's native language. Regardless, Jie   
laughed too, happy for a new playmate. He wondered what Hideo was thinking, and   
if his thoughts also existed in this different language that Uncle Mousse had   
called... Ni Hong Gou? Jie couldn't pronounce the word very well.  
  
(1) Mandarin Chinese*  
  
As Jie caught up to Lan-Lan, he swerved out to the side, out of their   
view, to pass them both on Hideo's side. Then, he circled around and feigned an   
attempt to tackle Lan-Lan, growling menacingly. She squealed happily and   
dropped Hideo's hand, dashing off in a different direction. Thus began a game   
of tag, a game in which the language barrier became nearly nonexistent.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Enough," Chen Gu'niang commanded, setting her now empty teacup down onto   
the table with a clatter. "Thank you for your report, Jie. I shall consider   
what you have told me, and let you know our next course of action."  
  
Feeling proud, as if he were Chen Fang's knight or even general, Jie stood   
and saluted her once more, bowing deeply. "No, it is my honor to assist someone   
in your esteem," he replied, more from polite tradition than true feelings.  
  
"Before you leave, I have another assignment for you," said Chen Fang,   
standing up to see him out. "Though the tournament may be more than a month   
away, and men are not permitted to participate, I require of you to practice   
your wu gong(2) more often every day. I know that you enjoy the Art and often   
train on your own several occasions a day, but you must prepare."  
  
(2) Skill in the martial arts  
  
"How, prepare?" Jie asked, perplexed. He felt somewhat annoyed as well,   
as if Chen Gu'niang were implying his skills were still not worthy enough. "Did   
you not just say men are not permitted to participate in the annual tournament?"  
  
"All shall be explained in due time; you need not concern yourself with my   
matters. If you follow what I tell you, and listen to me when I advise you, you   
shall not go wrong." She raised her chin up as she spoke, as if attempting to   
look down at Jie. Chen Fang might have been tall for a female, but Jie stood   
slightly taller.  
  
On occasion, her sweet and honeyed words often annoyed him to the point of   
argument, but this time he felt it wasn't worth it. He sighed, exhaling audibly   
through his nose, and left the room, turning his back on Chen Gu'niang.  
  
Before heading to his usual training ground-- a piece of land on Chen   
Fang's property-- he shouted for her servants to bring him his weapons. Though   
slightly knowledgeable in the Art, such servants had little money and a poor   
background to train well. Only those in the village with sufficient funds, the   
right bloodline, good connections, and an appealing appearance ever made it   
through their system to become famous. Hence, it was the case more often than   
not that only an heir would eventually reach the status his or her parents once   
held. Chen Fang was one of the honored exceptions; she came from a similar   
neighboring village, but eventually obtained a high social status and solid   
occupation within the village's political system. Being sponsored by Chen Fang   
was a great asset, not to mention his family ties to the highest house of the   
village.  
  
[And,] Jie thought smugly, [I'm quite devilishly handsome, if I do say so   
myself.]  
  
The only drawback to his family ties was his mother. He knew little of   
her, save her name and reputation. Occasionally, he wished he might meet her,   
to ask her if she knew what she had done, why she had done it... and if she   
ever considered the consequences. No one in the village spoke highly of her,   
and even hearing her name mentioned was painful for his uncle, Mousse. His   
cousin YiLan seemed to be the only one who took pity on her story.  
  
If only he had been born a female, if only his mother had left him with a   
more pleasant past, if only... Instead, he was nearly an orphan, abandoned to   
Joketsuzoku and partially raised by an uncle, partially raised by Chen Fang. It   
wasn't fair, but their village's traditions seemed set in stone. To Jie, the   
village elders could be likened to ostriches, sinking their heads into the sand   
and pretending they didn't see the things around them. He hated the fact that   
though he was the older cousin, all preference was given to Lan because of her   
heritage. She seemingly knew nothing about the political system; she did   
nothing more than let herself be pampered, and practiced the Art because it was   
necessary, not out of any passion for it.  
  
Jie selected his first weapon from the stack the servants had brought him,   
and began the first form. In the late afternoon sun, his broadsword flashed and   
shined like lightning. Even when he struck nothing but air with the sword, the   
noise could be heard from even the most distant locations in Chen Fang's   
property. Finished, he threw the sword down and chose another weapon. This   
would continue until he had finished every form he knew. Then, he planned on   
practicing his sparring with wooden dummies. The servants had already long ago   
decided it was too dangerous to spar with him. Jie could control his strength   
and power, but he had injured them more than once in the heat of the moment.  
  
"I'll show you, Lan," he muttered when changing weapons again. "I'll   
prove my worth to this whole damn village!"  
  
End of Chapter 2  
  
Author's note:  
* It's called "Guo Yu" (Country's Language) in Taiwan. Unfortunately, Japanese   
also call their language this (but pronounce the hanzi to kanji as "Kokugo")   
which can become quite confusing. 


	3. Heir to the Dojo

She embraced him then, and felt him slide his strong arms protectively   
around her muscled but feminine body. "They look so happy playing together,   
don't you think?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah..." he agreed, placing his chin on her head. He turned to look at   
the three as well. "Hideo seems to like it here a lot." He adjusted his hold   
so only one arm was around her waist. One of her arms still hugged around him,   
against his back. That way, they could both watch the three children playing in   
the courtyard.  
  
"Ranma, seeing them at this age, do you... do you kind of understand why   
our parents did what they did?" Akane turned her brown eyes up at him, full of   
curiosity and wonder. It made him feel as if a lot depended on his answer.  
  
Unfortunately, he didn't know how to respond. "I guess..." he finally   
relented, then quickly added more. "But I wouldn't force it upon them the way   
our parents did."  
  
Akane shook her head, though in agreement. "No, I don't want to either,   
but..." She sighed, trying to think of the best words to express her thoughts.   
"I just wonder what they'll be like when they grow up, when Hideo is the age we   
were when we met."  
  
He hugged her tighter. "Anything could happen. That's a long way from   
now. A long, long way from now..."  
  
Descendants  
(a sequel to Here Comes Neko!)  
A Ranma Nibunnoichi fan fiction  
by Luna Hinomura  
  
Chapter 3: Heir to the Dojo  
  
Muffled shouting reached his ears, but he didn't pay attention to it.   
There was plenty of time to make it to school without being late; his parents   
just complained and worried too much. Besides, his dad probably spent more time   
in that bathroom in the course of a day than Hideo could in a month. If he   
added up the hours he'd spent heating up a kettle on the stove, or filling up a   
bucket of water, it'd probably be more than half his life. How his father put   
up with it, he'd never know. Yet Hideo's parents accepted his father's curse,   
even built their lives around it in some ways.  
  
"Hideo, get out of the tub, NOW!" a woman's voice shouted from the doorway   
of the bathroom. He heard the door slide open, and footsteps of his father   
stepping through. "If you don't get out this instant, I'm going to come in   
there and drag you out!"  
  
"Don't I even get any privacy?!" Hideo shouted back, while stepping out of   
the tub, ignoring the splashes of water he left all around. He grabbed his   
towel off a hook on the wall and wrapped it around his waist. "What the heck   
are you doing being a woman this early in the morning?"  
  
"You're mom's not feeling good, so I have to teach the all-females Taichi   
morning class today. Breakfast has been sitting on the table for you for a long   
time, hurry it up, okay?" Not waiting for a reply, he heard his dad leave.  
  
"Jerk," Hideo muttered, moving into the second room to change into the   
clean school uniform he'd set out for himself before his bath. According to his   
parents, he attended the same high school they once had; and, according to the   
teachers, Ranma and Akane had developed quite a reputation while there. His   
classmates constantly pestered the teachers and other faculty members for juicy   
stories of events that occurred before he was born.  
  
In all his earliest memories of his father, they got along very well.   
Little Hideo used to idolize his father for the curse, believing his father to   
be someone incredibly special and admirable. At times, it felt like having an   
extra person in the family to love and be loved by, though he was one and the   
same man.  
  
"Hideeeeeeeeeeeeeeoooooo's gonna be laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaate... and your   
GIRLFRIEND's waiting~~~~~" another shouting voice added to his morning. The   
owner of the voice giggled insatiably and dashed by the bathroom, her feet   
pounding in rapid succession. Being only in primary school, she was young and   
weighed very little, so their parents rarely yelled at her to stop stomping on   
the second floor. On the other hand, if Hideo chased after her, he'd probably   
receive a very long and boring lecture.  
  
Hideo rolled his eyes. A little sister was something neither his father   
nor his mother ever had, and try as he might, he could never explain to them how   
aggravating it could be at times. His mother, on the other hand, almost always   
sympathized with Tsukiko and wanted him to set an example for her. His father   
always wanted him to put up with her to prove his tolerance. Hideo didn't   
believe tolerance was a trait his father possessed. [Parents always want their   
children to be better than they were,] he thought sarcastically.  
  
Breakfast was indeed waiting for him when he slid open the door to the   
dining room, but something didn't feel right. He didn't hear any sounds from   
his family members around the house, and even the noisy cicadas seem to have   
gone quiet from polite anticipation. Looking around, he scanned the area for   
locations a hidden ambush might await him. He regulated his breathing, forcing   
himself not to hyperventilate.  
  
And then... a giggle...  
  
"Hyah!!" his father, still in woman form, leapt out from behind a cabinet,   
attacking Hideo with her fists. Hideo, tipped off by the brief childlike   
giggle, was not as badly caught off-guard as he might have been, and defended   
easily. He could almost see a smile on his father's face, as they hadn't   
performed this "attack-at-breakfast" routine for a long time. Playing this game   
with his father was one of his fondest memories as a child. Having the upper   
hand, he was easily able to pin his father down with a submission hold that   
utilized his father's arm.  
  
"Good!" Ranma said, as they separated themselves and stood up. She dusted   
herself off, and smiled lovingly at her son, proud of him. "If only Tsukiko had   
been able to keep quiet, you might not have been able to win that time."  
  
Hideo grinned, kneeling down at the breakfast table. "You complain about   
me being late, but then sidetrack me with this? Now I'll have to eat fast if I   
want to-- oof!" A giggling Tsukiko hugged him tightly from behind.  
  
"Oniisan won! Oniisan won! Oniisan won!" She danced a bit behind him,   
shaking him so badly that he couldn't even eat. His chopsticks reached for the   
food, but dropped it before it came back to his bowl.  
  
"Okay, okay, Tsukiko; stop bothering your brother. You've already eaten,   
so why don't you come watch me teach Taichi today? Then, I'll take you to   
school," Ranma suggested.  
  
"YAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyy!" Tsukiko exclaimed in glee, dashing   
off to the Dojo at high speed.  
  
"Heh. Thanks."  
  
"No problem, Hideo. Don't be late for school."  
  
"Yeah..." He ate breakfast quickly, cleaned up a bit, then left.  
  
On his way to school, Hideo couldn't help but muse about the strange   
relationship he had with his father. It was probably the only thing a normal   
kid could do with a father cursed to become a woman when doused with cold water.   
His thoughts returned to that morning's events, remembering how as a youth, he   
used to enjoy having a cursed father. He wouldn't be lying to himself if he   
admitted that as he grew up, he began to resent his father.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Well, my dad's the strongest man in the world!" Hideo's classmate Kenji   
boasted. Five of them had been playing a game together when it erupted into an   
argument. Being children, they didn't know how to really argue except to brag   
about their own father's abilities.  
  
"Yeah, but my dad's the smartest man in the world! He works for a   
computer company!" It was Takashi who had retorted to Kenji.  
  
"I bet my dad can beat up your dad!" someone said to Hideo.  
  
"Nuh-uh! My dad's a martial artist! Haven't you heard of the Tendo   
Dojo?" Hideo said, puffing out his little chest in pride. "And he can turn into   
a GIRL!"  
  
His four friends went silent.  
  
"A girl??" Kenji asked in disbelief. "You mean you're dad's a FREAK?!"  
  
"He's not a freak!" Hideo shouted back. "He's COOL!"  
  
"How is it cool to turn into a giiiiirl?" Takashi said. "Girls are   
stupid."  
  
"Well..." Hideo had never expected this from his friends. "Well, my dad   
can still beat yours up!"  
  
"Yeah, but can he protect you now?" Kenji asked, punching Hideo squarely   
in the face.  
  
Takashi kicked him in the shin. "Your dad's a weirdo!" he stated.  
  
Hideo caught Kenji's next punch in his hand, and forced him back. Kenji   
forced his hand free and gaped blankly at his fist, then back at Hideo. "He   
taught me martial arts too," Hideo beamed at Kenji's stupefied face.  
  
"Let's get him!" they cried, all four of them attacking him at once.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Hideo, you made it! Hurry, or we'll be late to class."  
  
"What?" Caught up in his pained memories, Hideo hadn't even noticed when   
he walked through the gates of Furinkan High School. He now found himself   
staring dumbly at his girlfriend, Rie. "Uh?" he asked intelligently.  
  
The high school had expanded quite a bit since his parents attended, and   
some parts added on looked as if the principal of the school hadn't consulted an   
architect. Supposedly, it was largely due to the fact that the former principal   
Kuno had left the position to his heirs when he retired. The faculty hadn't   
been too pleased about that, as it was technically not an action a principal   
could legally perform, but they found it impossible to argue with the current   
co-principals. Especially since their arguments were as strong as the weapons   
they carried-- literally.  
  
"Come on, I waited for you." Hideo's girlfriend grabbed his arm and   
pulled him down the path, heading for their classroom. By luck, they happened   
to share the same homeroom again this year. The people around them began to   
crowd together, aware of the seconds ticking away before the class bell rang.   
Hideo moved forward protectively, shielding Rie from the pushes and shoves. The   
bell rang just as they were in their seats, and both breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
The teacher raised her eyebrow, but kept silent. When she turned around   
to begin lecturing, writing on the blackboard, quiet snickering could be heard.   
Hideo felt like rolling his eyes, but ignored it. Some of the guys in his class   
seemed excessively immature for their age. Most of them were probably jealous   
of his happy relationship with Rie.  
  
When homeroom break came around, Hideo was grateful. He was able to   
obtain a decent grade in most of his classes, but did not enjoy them much. The   
only subject that really interested him was Chinese language and culture,   
something he'd been exposed to at an early age when his parents took him on a   
trip to China. He'd met some interesting people, and seen China's beautiful   
landscape; the experience left him with a significant impression.  
  
"Do you want to catch a movie this afternoon?" Rie asked, pulling a chair   
up next to him.  
  
"Maybe," he said with a smile. Seeing more of Rie was something Hideo was   
always up for, though lately he'd been too busy taking care of Tsukiko after   
school to do much. "I haven't been to the theatres in a while; never in the   
mood for a movie anymore, I guess."  
  
"You haven't called me lately, either."  
  
That completely threw him off. "What?"  
  
"I'm... sorry, I didn't mean to bring it up like that. I just couldn't   
help it," Rie said, her eyes gazing downwards rather than at Hideo's face. Her   
voice lowered to a murmur, lest their classmates overhear their conversation.   
"Are you never in the mood to call me anymore, either?"  
  
No words came to Hideo's mind; he couldn't even begin to compose a decent   
reply. Instead, he only sat in shocked silence, amazed that she would bring   
something like this up at such a time. It was true that they saw more of each   
other while school was in session, but he would have appreciated being able to   
keep their relationship on a personal level. The idea of public affection   
didn't interest him in all, and Hideo disliked letting everyone else know the   
details of their relationship.  
  
But, Rie was distraught. Because of that, he couldn't blame her for her   
actions. "You... you really think that?"  
  
"I don't know... You just seem very distant lately, yet you never tell   
me what's bothering you. And then, people say... Well, there are rumors going   
around, that's what it is. I don't want to believe them, but it's hard not to   
hear them," she explained, leaning in close to Hideo, still keeping her voice   
low to prevent curious ears from eavesdropping. "Especially when it involves   
me."  
  
Hearing these things, it was hard for Hideo not to become angry. As   
cliché as it sounded, Hideo was always very protective of his girlfriend. Since   
the beginning, it had always felt as if Rie needed him, and he needed her just   
as much. Neither one of them had ever dated before meeting each other, so any   
problems they'd had to face, they faced together. Now, it seemed, they were   
being challenged again.  
  
But this was an enemy Hideo knew. He recognized it, but he refused to   
accept it. In an imperfect world, he was the idealist struggling to prove his   
own truths.  
  
"I think I have a pretty good idea of what these rumors are," Hideo   
admitted, feeling defeated. As much as he'd tried to fight against this from   
happening, the enemy had still somehow managed to secretly infiltrate his   
relationship. "But don't believe them," he added vehemently.  
  
"Hideo, tell me honestly-- are they true?" Rie persisted, grabbing hold   
of his arm.  
  
"...I couldn't tell you."  
  
"Why?? Why can't you tell me? Didn't we always say there was that we   
couldn't tell each other? And if there was, then it meant that something bad   
has come between us?" Her voice was cracking, and she was losing control over   
the volume. He wished there was something he could do for Rie, some way of   
mollifying her with words of comfort. He wanted very desperately to just sit   
down with her and pour out all his fears and struggles, but he couldn't do that   
here. He couldn't bear the idea of his classmates overhearing.  
  
"I can't tell you," Hideo began nervously, "because I don't know the   
answer myself."  
  
Rie's countenence became one of combined stun and confusion. "You... you   
don't know? How can you not know?" She looked as if she was on the brink of   
tears, which hurt Hideo deeply. He knew her to be this sort of person, someone   
who trusted first in her emotions before relying on instinct or logic. Too   
some, it may have seemed a bit strange, but Hideo felt it suited her well. "Do   
you mean that you're not sure of what the rumors are about?"  
  
"I told you, I'm almost completely certain." He tried to speak calmly,   
hoping she'd be soothed by his tone, if nothing else.  
  
"Then how can you *not* know the answer?! Are they true or not? Do you   
even *know* what everyone says about you, that you're--"  
  
Fear overtook him then, and Hideo reacted almost instinctively. His mind   
filled with panic, instinct telling him that silencing Rie was most important,   
above even Rie's feelings. He stood up so suddenly that his chair fell over   
from the force, clattering against the desk behind him. At the same time, he   
slammed both of his palms on his own desk, sending a resounding bang throughout   
the classroom. He could sense the eyes of all his classmates; some watching him   
while others gaped noiselessly.  
  
However, Rie's expression was one he couldn't even endure a glance at. He   
knew it would be too upsetting for him to see, so he just didn't look. It   
wasn't as if he'd been purposefully meaning to hurt her, but it had happened   
anyway; would she even forgive him? Hideo had never felt so utterly ashamed of   
his behavior before.  
  
"We'll talk about this later," he stated bluntly, gathering up his various   
belongings. This school day hadn't gone well at all. Hideo wanted desperately   
to leave, partially from the embarrassment, partially so he could avoid Rie.  
  
"But school's not even--" she started.  
  
"I don't care!" Hideo shouted from the doorway of the classroom, without   
even turning around, before he left.  
  
End of Chapter 3 


	4. Strife in Nv Jie Zu

The same chair awaited her, and she arrived precisely on time: neither a   
moment early nor a moment late. Her reputation as known by the other village   
elders included this mannerism, and she prided herself on possessing such high   
standards. It set a challenge for her, because if she ever happened to arrive   
at an undesirable time, the others were sure to be shocked and surprised.  
  
"Shall we begin?" she asked, her voice clear and strong. The others   
murmured their agreement, and busied themselves with final preparations for the   
task at hand. This same chair had held her body in the past week, for the same   
hours each day, for the same topic they still had a need to discuss. Days of   
debate, decisions, deliberations, and still no final judgment yet.  
  
She also took it upon herself to be the first to speak up and initiate the   
meeting. "JiaLin, please read off the minutes from our last meeting, to keep it   
fresh in our minds."  
  
"Yes, Chen Gu'niang," replied JiaLin with a bow as she unfurled the scroll   
of notes she'd taken yesterday. The village knew her well as a specialist in   
the Snake Form, from which she had developed supple and sturdy wrists.   
Utilizing this trait in other areas, she had become quite a skilled artist in   
both watercolor and calligraphy. Her talents were useful when it came to   
writing characters quickly and precisely during a meeting such as this.  
  
The others listened carefully as she read off her words, and reflected   
upon the facts and events over and over in their minds, considering the best   
options. Then, the debating began once more.  
  
Descendants  
(a sequel to Here Comes Neko!)  
A Ranma Nibunnoichi fan fiction  
by Luna Hinomura  
  
Chapter 4: Strife in Nv Jie Zu*  
  
The woman who'd come in to beg an audience had begun to annoy Chen Fang.   
As much as she knew the information the woman would provide was necessary, the   
woman delivered it with such faux pretenses that the lady Chen wanted nothing   
more but to be finished with their session. The woman, Li Hui, seemed ignorant   
of any subtle hints Chen Fang had provided in hopes of persuading her to leave.   
Hui was obviously quite the businesswoman, through and through.  
  
But, that was also one of the benefits of working with such a woman. In   
knowing how to run a business successfully, she also knew that people who sought   
her wares disliked having their interactions broadcasted into the public. Hui   
knew how to hold her tongue, and never betrayed her customers' privacy.  
  
"There is also the question of monetary imbursement," she continued,   
clicking away loudly with her abacus. The clacking noise only aggravated Chen   
Fang even more.  
  
"Li Gu'niang," Chen Fang started, in a tone she specially reserved for   
exactly this sort of situation. With a sweeping gesture of her hand and arm,   
she indicated their immediate surroundings to her guest, but knew Hui would see   
the larger picture of her entire estate. "I am not an impoverished member of   
this village. My home speaks for itself, does it not? You need not be   
concerned with any inability on my part to remunerate you for your services. I   
only hope the costs of what you can provide are suitably allocated."  
  
Hui was unimpressed. "What you ask of me to provide is more difficult   
than you know," she argued. "I would not think of deceiving you, the honored   
Chen Fang Gu'niang-- I only ask that I and my resources be compensated   
adequately. You know, it is difficult to feed and clothe an army--"  
  
A slight rustle at the door caught Chen Fang's attention, and she reacted   
immediately, turning her head to look in that direction, her surprised gaze   
brief but intense. Hui reacted as well, but a moment later. "Who's there?"   
Chen Fang demanded in a tone more curious than angry. If anything, she was   
grateful for the interruption.  
  
Jie entered, and bowed to both women. "Apologies for intruding upon your   
conversation," he spoke politely. "I was unaware that you were hosting company,   
Chen Gu'niang."  
  
"It is all well and good," Chen Fang replied, "since Li Gu'niang was just   
leaving." This time, when she stared pointedly at Li Hui, Hui seemed to finally   
understand her meaning. Chen Fang also stood up from her chair for good   
measure.  
  
"Yes, I'll not worry over the trivialities," Hui replied, gathering up her   
materials. There was an edge to her voice, indicating that she was not as   
welcome to the interruption as Chen Fang had been. Whenever she looked at or   
spoke of Jie, a distinct hint of disdain became evident within her eyes, her   
expression, and her tone. Hui had actually never spoken directly to him-- she   
refused to. As she left the room, Hui turned back and haughtily added one more   
comment towards Chen Fang. "I knew you liked young boys," she said, putting a   
'special' emphasis on the words, "but I'd never have expected you to specially   
quit a meeting simply for the indulgence of a bastard!"  
  
Before either Chen Fang or Jie could react, Li Hui was already prancing   
down the hallway and out the courtyard. They were silent for a few seconds,   
before Jie punched his fist, hard, into a support beam in the wall next to him,   
accompanied by an aggravated snarl emitted from deep within his throat. Chen   
Fang noted that Jie trembling with fury, but despite his hot temper, he always   
held himself back. She knew he would never want put on a full display before   
her. As much as he found the idea of face distasteful, his pride was such that   
he fell into the system anyway.  
  
"I hate her," Jie spat out, instead. Those were probably the strongest   
words he'd ever choose to use when speaking of one of Chen Fang's acquaintances.  
  
"Hatred is merely another form of ignorance, Jie. She is necessary to the   
plan," Chen Fang stated. "It is not as if I invite her into my home simply to   
spite you."  
  
He scoffed. "What good is she for 'the plan'? You've never even told me   
business that woman has with you." Mirroring Li Hui's sentiments, Jie refused   
to call her by name or title. Though he was used to being ostracized for being   
born both male and illegitimate, Hui went farther with her insults than most   
women of their village would dare on an apprentice of Chen Fang's.  
  
"That is because it does not concern you," Chen Fang replied. "Trust me   
when I say, I have told you all you need to know. You know more than any of the   
servants, and you know more than anyone else I work with."  
  
"What was she saying about an army before I came in?" Jie persisted,   
refusing to drop the issue. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop; it was unfortunate   
timing."  
  
"A figure of speech, nothing more," she spoke without even batting an eye.   
"Why did you come looking for me? Is there something you need to tell me that   
can't be passed on from a servant?"  
  
Jie's resolve faltered, but he remained wary. "Lan has finally replied   
with a message from my last visit." He seemed befuddled, uncertain of what   
their next move was to be.  
  
"I see," Chen Fang said simply, with hardly any reaction. "And what am I   
to do? Shall I visit her?" Jie understood these questions to be rhetorical,   
but unhesitatingly offered his answer nonetheless.  
  
"Actually, she plans on calling on us here, instead," he replied, taking   
on a more businesslike attitude. Chen Fang raised an eyebrow in approval. The   
ability of dismissing Li Hui's verbal abuse showed considerable tenacity on his   
part. "The words I left her with after my previous visitation have distressed   
her quite a bit." Jie showed no remorse, no embarrassment at admitting these   
facts to Chen Fang, nor was he proud or ashamed; he only sought her advice.  
  
And, the lady Chen felt he was well-deserving of it at this time. "YiLan   
will come," said Chen Fang, "and our task shall be to welcome her."  
  
* * * * *  
  
Thoroughly exhausted from their wild games and running around, the three   
children had decided to rest for a bit, sitting on a patch of large boulders in   
the middle of a field. The land belonged to no family in particular, but the   
village utilized it for various purposes. Lan and Jie's new friend beamed at   
everything he could see, amazed by even the little insects marching along on the   
ground.  
  
"Do you think he does any martial arts?" Jie asked suddenly. He and Lan   
had been unable to communicate very well with their new friend, so he hoped to   
spar with their new friend... if Hideo *did* in fact know the Art. Such a   
performance could be considered almost a sort of bonding ritual.  
  
"I dunno how to ask," Lan replied, looking at Hideo with a nervous smile   
on her lips. Hideo grinned back, though worried confusion stared back at her   
from his eyes. Embarrassed, Lan's smile widened further.  
  
"Let's show him something of ours first, then!" Jie suggested. Recently,   
they'd been learning a few doubles, forms meant for two people. He wanted very   
badly to practice with Lan, and show off to Hideo for the fame of the village.   
There were different forms to choose from; styles for performance, where two   
people would seemingly fight but refrain from hurting each other, and styles   
meant to be used in confrontations, where two people would act as a single unit,   
sensing each other's actions and mutually challenge their enemies.  
  
With a confirming nod from Lan, it was decided. So lucid was the   
communication between the two cousins that they needed no time to argue over and   
agree upon which form to utilize as an exhibition for Hideo. Standing in their   
respective positions, the form began.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Plodding along on her way to Chen Fang's house, Lan found herself deep in   
rumination yet again. Heading in the direction to that location always reminded   
her of the first big quarrel she'd shared with her cousin, and its unpleasant   
aftereffects. Though they'd only been children at the time, it had sent a   
bitter shard through their good relations, creating a giant chasm that had not   
yet healed, and so it seemed, would never heal.  
  
"Thank you for accompanying me, Jing," she said, trying to break away from   
the painful memories. Despite that, her words were completely heartfelt; Jing's   
fear of Jie had never escaped Lan's notice--it was apparent by the nervousness   
in her stature every time they happened to be in the same room together. Lan   
actually felt somewhat responsible for Jing's aversion to her cousin's ill   
manners and foul temper, because the servant girl had originally lived in an   
abusive household before coming into Lan's home.  
  
It took a moment or two for Jing to reply. "I worry of your stamina,   
Xiaojie. It is a long walk, and you haven't traveled down this path in quite a   
long time."  
  
"I used to visit more frequently," said Lan, more to herself than for   
Jing's ears, "when Jie's personality was a little more hospitable."  
  
This time, Jing didn't know how to respond. "Xiaojie..." she started, her   
voice full of worry. The unfinished sentence remained in the air, upcoming   
words still forming in her mind.  
  
The two continued for a few more moments in silence, until Lan quipped, "I   
wonder if Jie would have visited us more often, had we been more hospitable   
towards him."  
  
"Was there ever a time when our household was inhospitable to him?"  
  
"Perhaps he felt there was... We're almost there."  
  
Her last statement was unnecessary, as the almost majestic residence was   
well within sight. Lan could virtually feel Jing's resolve weaken upon reaching   
Chen Fang's residence. She herself remained resolute, but began to doubt if she   
would be able to obtain an audience with the woman, and wondered what she'd even   
say. Her reasons for paying this visit suddenly seemed weak and very trite,   
reasons Chen Fang would not respect her for.  
  
"You are steadfast, Xiaojie," Jing said, seeming to sense her unrest.  
  
Lan sighed, wishing she could believe Jing's compliment. "If organizing   
this tournament is a test from the village, do you think I will pass?"  
  
"I don't doubt your capabilities," was Jing's answer. "Xiaojie shouldn't   
either."  
  
A smile appeared on Lan's lips, and she lengthened her strides, her   
strength renewed.  
  
End of Chapter 4  
  
Author's notes:  
* This is the Chinese pronunciation of the Japanese name "Joketsuzoku".   
Literally, it means "tribe of outstanding females." 


	5. The Best Laid Plans

"And so, this is what it has come to... Your great-grandmother's legacy   
lives on. Are we fools to have challenged her? Is this how we are reprimanded   
for seeking our hearts when the laws spoke otherwise?"   
  
"Don't say that," she chided, her voice a little harsh though her eyes   
never ceased gazing at him lovingly. "We didn't come this far just to let   
everything go to waste. Things will work themselves out in the end; they *have*   
to. Just keep on believing that."  
  
"You're filled with confidence, as you always were. It's comforting, but   
I'm not still uncertain..."  
  
Truth be told, she did not feel as secure as she must have sounded to   
Mousse's ears. More than anything, she wanted to release all her fears, and   
submit herself into the mutual reassurance she so terribly desired. But this   
time, she couldn't; she had to be strong for him-- for both of them. Shampoo   
refused to let Mousse know that for the first time in all the plans she'd   
created, all the strategies she'd ever utilized, there was a feeling of dread in   
her heart that made itself impossible to elude. For some reason, she couldn't   
keep herself from suspecting there was something they had overlooked.   
  
No, Mousse would never know. Intentionally, she drew the blame upon   
herself to distract him. "I'm sorry to have brought these troubles upon you,   
Mousse," Shampoo said. "I didn't know that something like this would happen.   
I'm glad you're with me... though you deserve someone better..."  
  
He reached up to Shampoo and drew her down into a gentle kiss. "I don't   
believe such a woman exists."  
  
Descendants  
(a sequel to Here Comes Neko!)  
A Ranma Nibunnoichi fan fiction  
by Luna Hinomura  
  
Chapter 5: The Best-Laid Plans  
  
If Chen Fang had intended for visitors to wait for what seemed an   
indefinite period of time in order to test their patience, Lan would have tended   
to believe the lady Chen had succeeded. With each passing moment, she became   
increasingly anxious, but took care to not let her internal conflicts become   
apparent in her countenance. Fortunately, the effects of the long wait were   
beneficial in one aspect-- Jing had relaxed a bit since their arrival. One of   
Chen Fang's servants had met them at the door and led them into the sitting   
room, where they still remained.  
  
Lan would have liked to go wandering and poking about in the room,   
anything just to move and free herself of boredom. She did not, and satisfied   
herself with simply observing what she could from where she sat. Jing was not   
faring much better than she, although the anticipation and anxiety affected the   
servant girl to a much more significant extent.  
  
When one of the doors leading into the room suddenly creaked open, Lan and   
Jing both started. The two turned, their eyes expecting Chen Fang to come into   
view. For a moment, no one stepped through the door. The moment passed in but   
a heartbeat, though it seemed to last forever to the two eager girls. When a   
figure entered into the room, it turned out to be the same aged manservant who   
had greeted them earlier.  
  
"Chen Fang Gu'niang will see you now," he said with a bow, and moved   
aside, to let people behind him pass through, "with her apprentice, YiJie."  
  
From the corner of her eye, Lan could see Jing stiffen at the mention of   
Jie's name. The movement caught her attention, and her eyes shifted to look at   
the servant girl before focusing on her cousin. Though she hadn't moved her   
head, she wasn't sure if Jie had noticed the momentary glance, or if it had   
offended him. His own gaze upon the two of them was intense and piercing, and   
caused Lan to be ill at ease. She shrugged off the sensation, remembering that   
his personality itself could also be described as intense.  
  
As Jie entered, he nodded silently to both Lan and Jing in greeting. Chen   
Fang entered next, directly behind Jie. The two pairs of hosts and guests bowed   
to each other. The formality seemed stiff and unnecessary to Lan, but she knew   
that preserving such traditional practices was one of Chen Fang's odd hobbies.   
In order to present herself as likeable as possible to the lady Chen, Lan strove   
to leave her with a respectable and lasting impression.  
  
"Please, take a seat," Chen Gu'niang recommended, gesturing towards the   
chairs they had been occupying before Chen Fang and Jie's entrance.  
  
Lan did as she was told, and Jing selected the chair next to her, pulling   
it a little farther back, so as to seem not in attendance. Chen Fang took her   
usual seat, but Jie deigned not to be seated; instead, he stood behind the   
lady's right shoulder.  
  
Uncertain of how to begin, Lan was grateful when Chen Gu'niang took the   
initiative. "So you have finally come to see me," she spoke. "I had begun to   
wonder if you would reply to my summon. Though you waited longer than expected,   
you are here at last."  
  
"Apologies for the delay," Lan replied smoothly. "My father's health is   
deteriorating as of late, and both my days and nights have been occupied by   
caring for him."   
  
"An admirable cause," Chen Gu'niang praised.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"Still," continued Chen Fang, "the tournament-- I assume you are here for   
discussing this matter?"  
  
"Yes," Lan agreed.  
  
"The scheduled tournament is upcoming, and only a small period of time   
remains. Days can only hold so many hours, a week has only so many days, and a   
month will never have an extra week, no matter how you wish it. All can pass in   
but an instant if you do not utilize it well."  
  
"I understand all this," Lan affirmed. "And with your help, I am sure I   
can do much in such a short time. That is why I have come to you. Moreover,   
you sent a message-- which Jie faithfully delivered-- to call on me, did you   
not?"  
  
"Indeed." Chen Fang's tone caused the word to seem more akin to a request   
for Lan to continue rather than confirmation to her question.  
  
"Then you must have some advice in mind, some suggestions?"  
  
"I fear not. In actuality, I was merely curious to know how far your   
arrangements had progressed. I am shocked and unaware that you know so little   
about the traditions of our village's yearly tournament.  
  
"Well," Chen Fang continued after a moment of contemplation. "Perhaps   
this is not surprising as it seems. The Council purposefully chose to reveal   
only as much information to you as you requested of them. As Jie has already   
explained to you, this task is a method of testing your ability and readiness to   
eventually become Matriarch of Nv Jie Zu. The dire consequences of a failure   
need not be clarified to you."   
  
Lan took in a shallow breath. "I see." Having been confidant that Chen   
Fang would surely guide her, she now felt uncertain of how to continue. Her   
wary gaze strayed to her cousin Jie, who was still standing stiffly behind Chen   
Fang. While his disdainful expression seemed to have been meant to dissuade   
her, it only served to strengthen her resolve.  
  
Without further hesitation, she threw herself into her speech completely,   
disregarding what consequences her words might have. "I want... that is, I wish   
to invite a visitor to observe the tournament, and nothing more," she spoke in a   
rush, happy to be rid of the burden of keeping it to herself. "I ask that our   
village to treat this guest well, and for the visitor to sit next to me while   
the event is taking place. I believe these simple requests can be easily   
arranged and will not deter from any villager's enjoyment of our yearly   
tradition."  
  
For a moment, the room was silent, and still. Then, the lady Chen leaned   
back in her chair and studied Lan, her countenance unreadable. Lan didn't dare   
glance up at Jie, for fear of what formidable emotion his own facial expression   
would hold. Thankfully, he kept silent, though Lan was certain she would see   
his unforgiving glare if their eyes connected. Though she hadn't specified whom   
her guest was to be, Jie was clever enough to make an educated guess that   
wouldn't be far off.  
  
Chen Fang stared at the future matriarch for quite some time before she   
spoke, her voice filled with a twinge of surprise, and perhaps shock. "And   
this... this is what you wish? This is what you want most from our village's   
time-honored tradition?"  
  
"Yes," Lan answered, perhaps a little defiantly.  
  
A sigh, before Chen Fang continued, "These... 'requests' you have can be   
carried out easily enough, but I would advise you against inviting your little   
'friend.'" Lan instantly disliked the condescending tone of voice Chen Gu'niang   
had begun to use, but stayed silent. "You have come to my home and sought my   
guidance, and I shall not hesitate to provide you with less than you deserve. I   
warn you now not to invite unwelcome outsiders to our annual tournament-- while   
they are free to visit during other more favorable times of the year, it is   
currently forbidden, as it should be.  
  
"But you, I know, are the kind of person who would act first, and then   
think better of it later. Your blood relative-- this cousin of yours-- is very   
much the same way. Your only option now is this: tell your friend that he* is   
not permitted to attend this tournament. Moreover, you must advise against it,   
instead. Can you do this?"  
  
Without hesitation, Lan stared squarely into the eyes of Chen Fang, and   
bravely uttered, "I cannot."  
  
A smirk of dual amusement and annoyance played across Chen Fang's lips.   
She brought a hand up to her chin, contemplating Lan's emphatic refusal. "How,   
you 'cannot'? Or, more likely, is it because you *will not*? Is flaunting this   
guest before the villagers a matter of pride for you, little one? What do you   
seek to accomplish?"  
  
Lan darted a glance at Jie, but averted her eyes just as quickly. She   
could hear Jing shifting uncomfortably in her seat, and pulling her chair away   
from the conversation. Feeling the beginnings of annoyance flaring up within   
her, Lan tried her best to keep calm, reminding herself of the many reasons why   
it was beneficial to maintain good relations with Chen Fang. "The guest is my   
friend, and I believe that should be reason enough," Lan replied simply, with no   
small amount of wounded pride. "He had previously expressed interest in   
attending, but only recently have I offered him a formal invitation. Is this a   
sufficient answer?"  
  
An emphatic: "NO."  
  
"What?" both Chen Fang and Lan said at the same time, turning to stare at   
Jie, who had spoken.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Applause reached their ears when the two cousins finished their doubles   
form, and they turned to grin at each other with both sheepish and childlike   
pride. Though the audience only had one member, and the applause only one set   
of hands, both Lan and Jie were pleased with themselves. Lan turned to Jie and   
grasped his hands, jumping up and down excitedly. "He liked it! He liked it!   
We should do more!"  
  
"Yeah! It's great practice, too," Jie said smartly, when he felt a tug on   
his sleeve. Turning, he noticed Hideo had stood up and was gesturing at himself   
oddly.  
  
The two cousins stared, trying to make sense out of it. Lan tilted her   
head, and contemplated. Hideo was making strange movements that resembled their   
Art, but was different in some strange, foreign way. He seemed particularly   
interested in having them sit down on the rock he had perched on to watch them,   
so the cousins did so.  
  
"Do you think... he knows Martial Arts too?" Jie asked, his still   
breathless voice filled with uncertainty and doubt. "Or is he trying to mimic   
what we just did?"  
  
"Let's just watch and see," Lan replied wisely. "I think he wants to show   
us something."  
  
And then Hideo, dual heir to the union of the Tendo Dojo and Saotome   
School of Martial Arts, began to perform the form he knew, learned from his   
parents. It was a strange combination of all things, including movements Jie   
and Lan knew existed, but had not thought possible for someone his age. They   
even seemed to recognize aspects of their Amazon traditions, power and grace   
that stemmed from all Chinese Martial Arts had to offer.  
  
Both cousins were impressed. Lan clapped when Hideo completed what looked   
to be a particularly difficult move, and Jie suddenly jumped up from where he   
had been sitting, feeling the urge to test their new friend. He entered into   
the rhythm of Hideo's form, mimicking the movements and striking at him softly   
to test his opponent. Hideo adjusted automatically, and the practice routine   
became a routine no longer, but a sparring match between the two children.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"I said no," Jie continued, disregarding both the lady Chen's stern   
expression, and Lan's look of puzzlement. He stepped forward around Chen Fang's   
chair, hands clenching and unclenching into tight fists. "No, you may not   
invite him. No, he may not attend. No, he may not sit by your side!"  
  
Chen Fang didn't reply, and her expression only became more severe. She   
looked pointedly at Jie, but his anger had taken over, and would not be easily   
quelled. Lan was shocked into silence for only a few seconds, and quickly   
regained her composure. "I do not see why it is any concern of yours that--"   
she began.  
  
"Because first of all, I'm your cousin, and therefore I have just as much   
birthright as you do in deciding what happens to our village, and in planning   
the future of our village. Secondly, I am YiJie, apprentice to the honorable   
Chen Fang, who holds the highest position in the voice of our village until you   
are capable of becoming Matriarch. The village elders had declared this   
tournament to be the deciding point of your future since before you were even   
born. Allow me to express my opinion that you are behaving in the absolute   
opposite of what the village expects to see in a future Matriarch. If you fail,   
you will never come into power."  
  
"What of it? I don't much care for power," Lan argued haughtily, though   
inside she was quivering at the sound of his compelling words.  
  
Jie didn't even hesitate before he continued, "Then through the village's   
eyes, you shall see your father-- my uncle-- utterly disgraced by his daughter,   
and tossed aside by our village as if he were little more than trash. You know   
that no one respects him, that no one had ever respected him, even when your   
mother fought to preserve his good name. Chen Gu'niang shall come into power,   
as will I, because I am her apprentice and trace my roots to the same strong   
bloodline as you."  
  
"Do you mean to threaten me? With this?" Lan asked incredulously, her   
voice beginning to rise in both pitch and volume. She straightened up out of   
her chair for emphasis, while Jing stood up hesitantly to match. "*I* should   
stay in power to keep *you* out of power? Where is the meaning in that? If you   
wanted to stay in the position bequeathed to you by birth, you should not have   
renounced it by turning your back on your family!"  
  
Jie took another step forward towards Lan, until he was nearly shouting in   
her face. "Well, I would rather use my own power and fight for my name and   
honor than be given it freehandedly!" he barked back in retort. Angered, he   
raised his arm as if to strike his cousin, and Lan immediately recoiled from the   
motion. Jing reached out to clutch at Lan's sleeves, hoping to draw her back so   
she would not sustain the full force of his blow.  
  
"That's enough!" Chen Fang ordered, who had remained seated the entire   
time. She sounded angrier than Lan could ever remember, and thankfully, Jie   
must have heard it in her voice as well. He stopped his blow before it would   
have struck Lan, and dropped his arm in defeat. "I think it is time that you   
leave," Chen Fang suggested. She stood up to summon the servant, but Jing had   
grasped Lan's arm and was already trying to pull her towards the door. Lan   
wanted to remain defiant and glare at her cousin, but submitted to Jing's   
frantic protests.  
  
After the two girls left, Chen Fang turned her attention back towards her   
apprentice. "I am not pleased with your behavior," she stated, silent fire   
burning within her eyes.  
  
End of Chapter 5  
  
Author's note:  
The original opening sequence had the speaking lines somewhat reversed and a few   
more differences, but in that version I felt as both Shampoo and Mousse were   
acting out of character, so I rewrote it. To me, the last line seems somehow   
inconsistent with the edited version.  
  
* Much to my chagrin, I am forced to make Chen Fang say "he." I wanted her   
words to be non-gender-specific even though Jie already semi-informed Chen Fang   
of Lan's invitation to Hideo. This was probably the only obvious time where my   
attempts to keep this fic sounding like "Chinese spoken in English" utterly   
failed. Both "she" and "he" and even the non-gender-specific version of the   
word are pronounced the same way in Chinese. Actually, "him," "her," "she,"   
"he," "it" (for animals) and "it" (for inanimate objects) all have the same   
pronunciation... 


	6. Sins of the Forefathers

A simple glass flask sat atop the mantle. The glass of the flask was dark  
blue in color, but translucent enough so that anyone who lifted it up could see  
it clearly contained some sort of liquid. A liquid not unlike water, but they  
knew it was not exactly as commonplace as everyday water. The flask was bulbous  
in shape, almost completely round save for the long, thin neck that protruded  
from the top of the flask's belly. He didn't have to look to know, the top of  
the flask was stopped with a simple cork.

"You're staring at it again," his companion spoke, reaching her hand over  
to place it gently on his forearm. The touch him out of his daze, and he threw  
off his thoughts with an imperceptible shudder, turning to let his deep blue  
eyes gaze into his companion's soft brown ones.

"I was thinking," he said simply. After a pause, he added, "Wondering."

"I know," his companion replied empathetically. She didn't just know, she  
knew. She was not like those people whom only said they knew in order to  
remain polite, or just to make small talk, or just because they had no other  
response at their disposal and wanted to avoid an awkward silence. More than  
anyone else in the world, she really, truly, knew.

He swallowed thickly, adjusting the position of his arm to return her  
favor, gripping her hands in gratitude. "I can't... but I think it's better  
this way. I'm... I'm sorry."

"Don't be," she replied, as compassionate as always.

Descendants  
(a sequel to Here Comes Neko!)  
A Ranma Nibunnoichi fan fiction  
by Luna Hinomura

Chapter 6: Sins of the Forefathers

Rain. He liked rain. Hideo never ran to seek shelter when sudden rain  
showers surprised the inhabitants of Nerima, Japan. Instead, he would only  
pause to take in his surroundings, admire how the world seemed so different, so  
changed, when the sky was crying. Then he'd simply continue walking at the same  
pace, no more eager to reach his destination than he'd been when he'd started  
out.

The world certainly seemed different now. Only moments ago, before the  
rain had started, a great number of people had been enjoying themselves in the  
park. Hideo had watched for a while, seeing mothers with their young children--  
too young to have yet begun to attend school--out on walks, or to play games  
with their friends of similar ages. Now, the rain had driven them all away,  
leaving Hideo alone to sulk. It mattered little to him; sulking was oft best  
done in solitude.

Instead, he simply listened to the rhythm of the rain splattering on the  
leaves and tree branches above him, each moment ringing a different beat, no two  
ever alike. The tree protected him from the worst brunt of the shower, but this  
shower was not the worst he'd ever experienced. He even half-expected it to let  
up after only a few minutes. After that, health concerns would drive him to  
seek a refuge where he could stop to wring out his waterlogged clothes. It was  
no wonder his parents yelled at him all the time for coming home with a shoddy-  
looking school uniform. They'd try to explain that they didn't have enough  
money to buy him a new uniform, or that it was disrespectful to the school to  
show up looking so downtrodden. In the end, all they really cared about was  
that Hideo wasn't saving face or earning respect for the Saotome family name.  
Who cared about all that crap, anyway?

Using monetary assets as an excuse was laughable. Aunt Nabiki would  
certainly give them a loan if ever hey needed it and actually asked for one.  
Moreover, she probably wouldn't even care if they paid her back or not. Well...  
on paper she would, but under the table she'd mention that their time limit to  
pay back the loan, plus any and all interest, was infinite. Heck, she had even  
stepped in to be an accountant for the Tendo Dojo several times, always for just  
a little bit, when Hideo's mother and father were too busy with other things to  
manage it on their own. He remembered it most keenly after his sister Tsukiko  
had been born; Aunt Nabiki had come to live with them for a month or so just to  
make sure their family income would remain steady and to help baby-sit.

As for saving face, who needed it? Face was for people who cared about  
other people more than they cared about themselves. Hideo refused to let other  
people's opinions of him change the way he lived his life. A part of him  
relished the freedom; other than his family, he didn't have anyone to care for,  
and he didn't have anyone who cared for him.

Except for Rie.

Hideo shifted his body on the tree branch he was resting on, wide enough  
to hold his weight but too narrow for him to remain there comfortably for an  
extended period of time. The embarrassing incident in their homeroom still  
plagued him, but he couldn't quite bring himself to apologize to his girlfriend  
yet. In time, he would find her and make a heartfelt apology. Hideo felt that  
he had conducted himself unsatisfactorily, momentarily letting panic dictate his  
actions. He just couldn't bear to know how Rie was going to end her sentence,  
what rumors were being spread around the school. It was true that Hideo rarely  
cared what others thought of him... save for the one thing that scared him out  
of his wits.

Along with the Saotome family name came its family secrets: the curses  
that both Hideo's father and grandfather carried. A grown man turning into a  
fat panda from a touch of hot water? A teenage boy turning into a girl? The  
idea itself was absurd, yet Hideo knew its truth. They were the curses he'd  
grown up with, every bit a part of his family as he, his sister, and all his  
relatives. Though he was loath to admit it, Hideo resembled his father in that  
he feared little and was often overconfident in his abilities--a trait that many  
people perceived as unfounded arrogance.

Hideo knew his father's reputation from the stories he'd been told, and at  
times was ashamed at the way his father had conducted himself as an adolescent.  
Shortly before beginning high school at Furinkan, Hideo had sworn to himself  
that he would not allow himself to be subjected to the same ridicule his father  
had often endured. He would share nothing more in common with his father than  
the bloodline and biological inheritance. None of his overworked ego, none of  
his flippant mouth, none of his carelessness, none of his inconsiderate behavior  
towards others, and none of his fears. Yet while his father suffered and still  
suffered from embarrassing case of ailurophobia (an irrational fear of cats),  
Hideo harbored other misgivings. In the deep recesses of his heart, Hideo truly  
feared that if these family secrets were revealed to her, Rie would no longer  
accept him.

It wasn't as if they had any future plans--who could say they even had a  
future together at all? Still, Hideo cared about Rie more than he would admit  
to anyone but himself. The self-same fears were what kept him aloof, so that  
some sort of distance always existed between the two, whether physical or  
communicative. It was the only way Hideo felt he could protect both of them  
from hurting each other needlessly.

Even worse, the family secret was only one secret. There was another: his  
longtime correspondence with one of his earliest friends, Lan. He liked to call  
her Xiao Lan, and sometimes "Little Orchid" as a joke, since that was what her  
nickname literally translated to. Little Orchid, because he could never quite  
get over the creepy feeling that inevitably followed if he called her Ran-  
chan--the Japanese equivalent of "Xiao Lan." It hit too close to home for Hideo,  
being eerily similar to his own father's name. Hideo had never told anyone  
about his secret Chinese pen-pal; only his parents knew of their letters.  
Though the rate at which the letters came and went ranged from sparse to  
frequent, they had never broken their ties of friendship with one another.

For some reason, this secret relationship with Lan caused Hideo to feel  
guilty at times, though he had nothing to hide from Rie. Still, he did not want  
his girlfriend to know about Lan's existence. While Hideo was grateful that Rie  
was very trusting in him, he knew that she could also be a very jealous person  
at times, but always kept her jealousy unspoken. Despite the separation by land  
and water, Hideo's friendship and camaraderie with Lan remained strong  
throughout their childhood and even now. Rie was sure to be jealous and  
resentful.

Hideo remembered a time, long ago, when his same friendship with Lan had  
sparked feelings of jealousy in someone else. He didn't want that to happen  
again with Rie.

- - - - -

Noise of a flurry and kicks and punches filled his ears, and for the first  
time in a long time, Hideo was enjoying the practice of Martial Arts. Of all  
the opponents he'd ever faced, few could match his speed and skill. Even fewer  
were of his same age, and now here in a remote village somewhere in China, he  
had finally met a worthy challenge.

Two new acquaintances: a girl and a boy, the latter of which he now faced  
in a mock battle. From answers to questions he'd asked his parents, he knew the  
two to be cousins, both born of longtime friends of theirs. He hadn't asked  
more than that.

Hideo understood little Chinese and spoke none, communicating through body  
language instead. Using the beauty of his martial arts form, time-tested and  
persevering through the ages, he showed them his heritage. When he punched and  
the boy he faced blocked, the force of the blow explained how he'd been training  
practically since he was born. When he leaned and leapt sideways to dodge a  
kick, the flexibility of his body told of how many hours he spent stretching.

The same motions in the other boy's body spoke the same volumes. Hideo  
could read them as easily as if he were flipping through the pages of a  
children's book. The girl's squeals of glee and single-person clamor of  
applause were barely noticeable as Hideo ignored the noise, and concentrated on  
reading his opponent's moves. The boy wasn't fighting seriously, only enough to  
give them both a good workout. Fair enough, he wouldn't push the sparring match  
too hard, either.

It was then that Hideo's young foot hit a stray loose rock, and he  
stumbled, forcing his punch to come up too sharp. Unfortunately, before he  
could pull back, it connected with the other boy's cheek. The boy fell back  
rapidly in surprise, pin-wheeling his arms for balance. In shock, Hideo  
realized that his punch had connected harder than he initially realized, and  
that it had split the boy's lip. The boy cousin wiped the back of his hand  
against his mouth, and stared at his own blood in dumb shock.

Hideo reacted as he felt befittingly: by bowing deeply and apologizing in  
Japanese. It was the language of his homeland, and the only language he knew;  
he hoped it would be enough. With concern in her voice, the girl called  
something at both of them in Chinese, and the boy cousin yelled something back.

The boy cousin fell upon him again then, and Hideo naturally assumed he'd  
been forgiven, that they would continue until one of them tired. The dance of  
their fight began again, but slowly, something seemed to change. Hideo could  
feel the boy cousin's assault pressing harder on him, as if he deliberately  
meant to injure rather than to continue their simple friendly sparring match.

Having already accidentally split the boy's lip, Hideo had no wish to  
cause more harm to his opponent. He feigned an opening, letting one stray punch  
fly through his defenses--exactly what he expected. Instead of being hit, Hideo  
reacted to it by turning aside and grabbing the boy's arm. He used the other  
boy's power in his follow-through to flip the boy over his head, landing him on  
his back, perhaps a little harder than he intended.

The girl cousin shouted something else in Chinese at the two of them, and  
ran over, pulling them apart from one another. Hideo backed up immediately at  
the expression in her eyes, startled. She looked wounded, as if she were  
disappointed in Hideo. She looked as if she had been the one injured, rather  
than her cousin.

- - - - -

"I found you," Hideo heard a sing-song voice calling to him, startling him  
out of his memory. He almost lost his balance on the tree branch, having been  
so deep in reminiscing that he'd forgotten where he was. Trying not to give  
away how easily he'd been caught off guard, he looked down nonchalantly, at the  
sight of a Rie standing within the shade of the tree he was sitting in.

"Your point?" he asked, still trying to keep up his nonchalant act.

Rie sighed and lowered the umbrella she carried. The rain had all but  
stopped, and it was no longer necessary. She looked as if she wanted to roll  
her eyes, knowing him too well to believe he'd been aware of her presence all  
along. "You're cutting class."

"And so are you," Hideo observed. "Are you here to coax me back?"

Surprisingly, Rie shook her head. "No. I think we both need a break from  
other people. We need... time alone, maybe?"

With an easy leap, Hideo landed beside her beneath the tree and took her  
into his arms in a gentle embrace. "I like that idea," he said emphatically,  
then abruptly sneezed.

"And, you seem to need a doctor."

"I don't-- ACHOOOO!"

Rie pulled herself out of Hideo's reluctant arms. "Come on, we can talk  
on the way." She shook out the dress she wore, attempting to dry her school  
uniform from the rainwater Hideo had passed onto her when he hugged her.  
"You're soaking wet, and you could catch a cold like that. Let's find a nice  
dry place nearby and get you something warm to drink."

And just like that, he was forgiven for his outburst that morning, but the  
moment was not forgotten. Hideo knew he would have to bring it up again sooner  
or later. They walked, hand in hand, as if nothing were wrong, as if they were  
the perfect couple. Every couple had its problems, Hideo told himself, some  
more complicated than others. Of course, meeting his parents was out of the  
question; Hideo didn't want Rie to see his family so soon. But maybe, just  
maybe, he could give her a glimpse of what it might be like.

"Come on," he said, grasping Rie's hand a little more tightly, with  
confidence. "I want to introduce you to someone."

End of Chapter 6


	7. Family Matters

Even before she returned, she knew it was already too late. She had felt  
her sister's passing--and how could she not? They were identical twins; born of  
the same womb. Yet the girl had not realized how much she had suppressed her  
own grief until their village came within her range of sight.

So much had changed, yet so much was still the same. New lives had come  
into the world while others had left, but she could tell the society that had  
ostracized her was no different than before. The mix of stares and glares she  
received from them were evidence enough. The villagers made her uneasy; their  
obvious dislike for her was almost palpable. Still, she persevered, making her  
way slowly towards the tallest hill of the village, where her childhood home  
stood.

No one ran out to greet her, but she didn't expect anyone to. She only  
wanted to come and pay her respects to her deceased twin sister, to comfort her  
sister's newly widowed husband. As she sought to comprehend the full weight of  
losing her sister, pain and anguish tore her heart anew. The signs of mourning  
around her--such as the white lanterns hung in front of villagers' houses--  
accented her pain sharply. Her people mourned, and despite having been an  
outcast for most of her entire life, her heart sympathized with them.

Finally, she came to the largest home in their village, the house that  
belonged to her family line. For before her passing, her great-grandmother had  
been Matriarch. For a brief time, her twin sister had held the same role-- so  
the girl assumed, at least. Unfortunately, her sister's life was cut short far  
too soon.

The front door was open when she reached it.

"Mousse," she called through the open door. "I'm home..."

Descendants  
(a sequel to Here Comes Neko!)  
A Ranma Nibunnoichi fan fiction  
by Luna Hinomura

Chapter 7: Family Matters

At the doctor's office, Hideo sat on a stool, shirtless, with a thick  
towel draped across his shoulders. He also wore borrowed pants, while his own  
clothes were hanging up to dry. Luckily, it was already late spring, and the  
weather had begun to warm. Hideo predicted the clothes would dry quickly, as  
they'd already been wrung and neatly pressed by Dr. Tofu's obliging assistant.

Letting Rie meet the well-known chiropractor was as close to meeting his  
family that Hideo would let her come. From the stories he'd heard told by  
friends and family, the doctor had apparently been treating Hideo's mother and  
her sisters since they were young.

The agèd doctor himself had pulled up a chair to have a chat with Hideo,  
adjusting his thick-rimmed glasses on his nose. "I suppose it doesn't need to  
be said," Dr. Tofu began, "but your parents would want me to tell you anyway.  
You should be more careful about your health. I know you know better."

"I know," Hideo admitted. "I just like to sit out in the rain."

Dr. Tofu nodded, bobbing his head up and down slowly. The doctor had been  
fit and agile in his youth, but his health had suffered much since the passing  
of his late wife. Despite his ailing body, and the brief bout of depression he  
had undergone after her death, the doctor's mind was as sharp as it had ever  
been. The slight glimmer of mischief that had always existed in his eyes was  
still there, albeit somewhat more dim than it had once been. Hideo had known  
the doctor since birth; in addition to being their doctor, Tofu Ono had  
practically doted over both Hideo and his sister Tsukiko. While growing up,  
Hideo had treated Dr. Tofu as one of his secret confidants, and had no doubt  
that the doctor understood him better than his parents did, or ever would. Lan  
was the only other person whom Hideo shared his secrets with.

"You know, you're more like your parents than you realize," Dr. Tofu said  
after a sigh. "I'm sure you don't want to hear that either, but it's the  
truth."

"But I'm not my parents," Hideo responded immediately, using a corner of  
the towel to wipe at his damp hair. It would dry soon, and then they could  
leave. Not wanting to disturb his privacy, Rie was in an adjacent room,  
socializing with Dr. Tofu's assistant. Hideo was glad for that, as he had no  
wish to talk to the doctor while half-naked and with his girlfriend in the room.  
On the other hand, he also felt sorry for both Rie and the assistant, if they  
had any problems communicating across a language barrier. Dr. Tofu's assistant  
was from China, and though she understood spoken Japanese, she often had trouble  
effectively expressing herself in Japanese, or reading the written language.

Dr. Tofu chuckled. "No, you're not. You're also more different than your  
parents than they realize." His gaze focused knowingly on Hideo. If it had  
come from anyone else, Hideo would have felt threatened and resentful. Coming  
from the doctor, it caused Hideo to actually feel somewhat guilty. "I take it  
you still haven't talked to them about what you want for your future."

An annoyed sigh escaped from his lips before Hideo could stop it. He hid  
it by pretending he'd been blowing on the cup of hot tea the assistant had left  
for him to drink. "No, I haven't," he answered truthfully. "They won't like  
it."

"It's like I keep telling you, son, you don't know for sure that they  
won't like it until you tell them."

Hideo had no answer to that one, not even another annoyed sigh. Certainly,  
he wanted to tell his parents on several occasions, but never brought up the  
issue because he didn't want to hear what they had to say about it. He did well  
at school so that his parents would never need to have conferences with his  
teachers. He practiced anything-goes martial arts on a regular basis, so his  
parents would never accuse him of neglecting what was his by heritage. He made  
himself into a model citizen, so that his parents could never criticize him. He  
did enough to avoid earning their disapproval; however, he did no more than that,  
so that he was forever evading their approval. The arrangement suited him.

"Has Rie met your parents?" the doctor asked, hitting another sour note in  
Hideo's mood.

The teenage youth shook his head, wondering how to tactfully answer the  
doctor's question. How could he explain to the doctor that he was afraid that  
Rie would not like his family? That he was absolutely 100 certain that his  
family would not approve of Rie, and condone their relationship? That since he  
was very young, Hideo knew his parents secretly hoped that would marry another  
girl...?

- - - - -

A parent-teacher conference was a foreboding experience, something he'd  
never faced before. His little heart raced in his chest, fearful of what his  
parents would say, or how he would be scolded. Surprisingly, the meeting  
between his father and his teacher went well, and he hadn't even been let into  
the room. He was left, instead, to sit on a chair outside his teacher's office,  
his young legs growing sore from being too short to reach the floor. The chair  
was obviously made for someone older. Occasionally, he'd kick his legs to  
reassure himself that they were still there, since they were prone to becoming  
numb when he sat in such a chair.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, his father opened the door to the  
teacher's office. He spoke a few words quietly to the teacher, too quietly for  
the boy to hear. Soon, his father turned to him, and held out his hand.

"Come on, Hideo, let's go home," his father said. Hideo reached out and  
took his hand, jumping down from the large chair.

The walk home was awkward. Hideo couldn't remember a time where all his  
father did was hold his hand and walk home. His father used to swing him onto  
his shoulders and parade him home, sometimes pretending to almost drop him into  
the arroyos lining the streets. The boy especially loved it when his father  
walked atop the fence by the arroyo. From atop the combined height of his  
father's shoulders and the fence, he could see far around him, at the city of  
his birth. People driving by would stare, but neither he nor his father ever  
cared.

But that was all different now. The boy now realized that he had  
disappointed his father.

"Son," his father began, and then stopped in his tracks. He turned to  
kneel in front of his son, and put his hands on the boy's shoulders. "Hideo,  
remember what I taught you. You can't use your martial arts to bully people,  
only in self-defense, or to protect people who are unable to protect themselves.

"They attacked me," Hideo explained. "I was defending myself."

"I know, and your teacher agrees. However, you also have to realize that  
they haven't done martial arts since birth, as you have. You've been let off  
with a warning, but you have to understand that some of those boys were hurt  
very badly." Hideo nodded, and once again his father took up his hand, and  
began walking. "What started the whole fight, anyway?"

"They made fun of you," Hideo said, a little angrily. "They said it was  
weird that you turn into a girl!"

Abruptly, his father dropped his hand, and stared at Hideo in shock.  
Hideo stared back, equally shocked.

"Son..." his father began slowly. "You can't talk about those sorts of  
things outside our house, or close friends and family. Your mother and I didn't  
want to make you feel weird about it, but I guess we should have told you  
earlier. It's not really normal for a man to be able to turn into a girl, okay?  
Most of the people in our community know, but anything past that might become  
dangerous for me and Mommy and you."

Hideo understood; he understood it all too well. Now he realized that the  
father he idolized was actually ashamed of his ability to turn into a girl.  
The idea confused him greatly. Did it mean that he, Hideo, should be ashamed of  
it as well?

"So, no more talking about our family like that. And no more using  
martial arts to bully people, okay?" Hideo nodded solemnly.

"Anyway, Lan wouldn't like it," his father added, with a wink.

- - - - -

Just as Hideo finished changing back into his now-dried clothes, a knock  
at the door interrupted their conversation. "Hideo? Can I come in now?" Rie  
called through the closed door. Without waiting for them to answer, Dr. Tofu's  
assistant opened the door, bringing a small tray with two new cups of hot tea.  
He breathed a sigh of silent relief that the assistant hadn't opened the door  
any earlier. Though he was loath to admit it, Hideo was a little shy.

Catching eyes with the assistant, whom he recognized, Hideo greeted her  
with a polite, "Hello." In response, Tofu's assistant smiled faintly at him,  
the same wistful smile she showed to everybody that came in for treatment. But  
while Dr. Tofu's patients always commented to the doctor that his assistant was  
very beautiful and had a kind smile, Hideo recognized the expression in her eyes.  
Others may have overlooked the evidence of silent hurt, but not Hideo; he felt  
it often enough himself. Perhaps she, too, held secrets that she felt she could  
not tell others.

In the past, Hideo had tried coaxing her to speak, but she never let the  
conversation delve into any of her personal business. The only words she ever  
spoke were either of the mundane everyday chit-chat one might make to pass time,  
or important patient-related business for Dr. Tofu. At one point, he'd even  
convinced himself that she would definitely open up to him after he'd taken  
classes in Chinese at Furinkan High. Despite using his rudimentary Chinese to  
speak to her in her mother language, she never divulged information about her  
past or how she'd come to work for Dr. Tofu. The most frustrating aspect about  
the secrecy surrounding her was that Hideo was almost certain his parents knew  
about her and were also keeping information away from their son.

Knowing that Hideo would want to be alone with Rie for a while, Dr. Tofu  
patted Hideo on the knee to say bye. Without indicating his motives to his  
assistant, Tofu stood up and walked out through the open door. His assistant  
tacitly followed, shutting the door behind her. Sometimes, it amazed Hideo how  
well two people could communicate without even needing words. Briefly, he  
wondered if his relationship with Rie would ever reach such a depth. Not if  
you never let it, Hideo thought, some vestiges of Dr. Tofu's earlier advice  
still floating through his mind.

Silently, Rie sat down next to Hideo and leaned her head on his shoulder,  
as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. She clasped his other hand with  
both of hers, and they sat there for a while, enjoying the company and each  
other's warmth. So much unspoken between them, yet also so much they never  
needed words to say.

"Dr. Tofu is nice," Rie said-- the first one to break the silence. "So is  
his assistant, she's very kind."

"She is," Hideo agreed. "I've also known her since I was a child. But  
don't you think she also looks sad?"

Rie furrowed her forehead. "Sad? No, I don't think she looks sad. She  
looks... thoughtful, but not sad."

"You think?" So Rie was another one who couldn't see the assistant's  
inner sorrow. Or maybe Dr. Tofu was right, that he tended to read too much into  
other people's business rather than concerning himself more with his own.

"Hideo," Rie said, her voice changing suddenly, to a more curious and  
pressing tone. "Why did you want me to come here with you? I mean, aside from  
something as simplistic as just spending time with you. Is there a reason you  
wanted me to meet your family doctor?"

Hideo took a deep breath. This would be the first time he ever exposed  
any of his secrets to anyone outside his immediate and extended family. In fact,  
this would be the first time he ever talked about his family outside his  
immediate and extended family. Nervous, he let out the breath without speaking,  
and then took another deep breath. Thankfully, Rie only waited patiently  
without pressuring him any further.

"Okay," Hideo explained. "He's not just the family doctor, Rie-- he's  
also a part of my family. Dr. Tofu is my uncle, by marriage to my mom's oldest  
sister. My aunt died before I was born, and I never knew her. As far as I know  
they were pretty happily married before she passed away." Hideo looked away  
from his girlfriend, avoiding her gaze. "I constantly hear stories, even now,  
about Aunt Kasumi and what she was like. Honestly, in some ways, I've also  
always resented the fact that I never got to know her. She practically raised  
my mother and my Aunt Nabiki, and I would have loved it if she had been able to  
dote on me as well."

Turning back to look at Rie, Hideo caught her eye in order to see his  
girlfriend's reaction. Surprisingly, her full attention was on his every word,  
and he had never seen such intensity in her gaze before. Inexplicably, his  
heart began to beat faster, pleased at having found someone else who not only  
cared about him, but was genuinely interested in sharing his pain, no matter how  
great or small. Moreover, she was someone whom he could trust with the  
knowledge.

"You have to understand, nobody else knows how I feel about Aunt Kasumi's  
memory, Rie," Hideo stated. "I didn't want anyone else to know. But it seems  
like recently, you always ask for me to spend time with your family, or want to  
meet mine. I know I've dissembled about that issue in the past, so this time I  
want to make it up to you. Now you know a little more about me, and a little  
more about my family."

Were those tears of gratitude in her eyes?

"Hideo... thank you."

End of chapter 7 


	8. Family Ties

_More tears flowed down her cheeks, adding their salty flavor to the bitter  
mix of blood and saliva in her mouth. Pleading was useless, as she could  
scarcely breathe in between the painful sobs that wracked her body. _

_"Please," she forced out, despite her cracked ribs. Using her elbows to  
prod herself up, she crawled towards the nearest person, her hope refusing to  
abate. If she could only last long enough, if she could just convince them of  
the truth in her words, perhaps they would be content to listen and forgive.  
Gravel engrained itself into her forearms as she inched along, painfully slowly.  
Still, she refused to give up, to abandon her quest. The physical pain she felt  
now did not compare to the pain she knew was to come, if she did not succeed._

_Ironically, she almost longed for the days when she was only ignored and  
ostracized, as she was on her last visit home. Now, though, she knew what it  
felt like to be downright hated. Her hand, bloodied and crusted with dirt,  
managed to touch the ankle of one woman._

_"You are not welcome here!" the woman shouted, pulling her leg back  
swiftly, and launching another kick. Her foot connected squarely with the  
girl's temple, the momentum and force of the blow setting her broken body  
rolling along the dusty path. The girl coughed and spat, every moment yielding  
more blood and tears._

_They attacked her again, then, as if they thought they could rid of her of  
her sins by some physical force of will. Well, perhaps it was true. The girl  
did, after all, feel somewhat guilty for what she'd done-- or maybe it was what  
she hadn't done._

_With this assault the girl finally felt her resolve ebbing, and her  
consciousness along with it. The last thing she remembered before the world  
went dark was the red-haired woman that stood taller than any of them, who never  
lifted a finger to injure her, but instead merely watched as they beat her.  
Ever were her eyes cold, calculating, and unforgiving..._

**Descendants**  
(a sequel to Here Comes Neko!)  
A Ranma Nibunnoichi fan fiction  
by Luna Hinomura

Chapter 8: Family Ties

The walk from Dr. Tofu's office back to the Tendo Dojo was not far, but  
Hideo took it slowly. He had much to muse over, and needed every extra moment  
he could wring out of the time it took to return home. He felt fatigued, in  
both mind and body. After keeping his heart locked down so tight for such a  
long time, the relief of releasing some of his inner tension was too much to  
bear at once. Now, that he had accompanied Rie safely back to her home, he  
needed some time alone.

Sending Rie home was neither time-consuming nor inconvenient, but Hideo  
really preferred not to even see her house. In some ways, it served as a stark  
reminder of their very different upbringings. Hideo only knew as much about  
Rie's family as she divulged to him. Partially due to his own insecurities, he  
had repeatedly, but politely, declined her invitations to visit their home or  
accompany them on outings.

While Hideo's own family was by no means poor, his parents' meager incomes  
were negligent compared to the wealth Rie's father amassed from his occupation  
as an attorney. In fact, Rie's mother didn't even work; she didn't need to.  
Instead, she remained a diligent housewife, and often hosted dinner parties to  
entertain friends or her husband's extensive clientele.

If it had been up to her parents, Rie probably wouldn't have even attended  
a public school. As it was, Rie's parents were surprisingly supportive of her  
notion to be like every other teenager. Rumors spread like wildfire, however,  
and within a week of their freshman year, everyone knew her as the "Rich  
Princess of Furinkan High." People assumed she was spoiled before they even  
endeavored to befriend her. To most of the school, Rie was considered  
unapproachable, but truly she had one of the most down-to-earth personalities  
Hideo had ever come across.

Being considered unapproachable, however, had its downsides. Rie's first  
few months at Furinkan were, according to her, painfully lonely. She even  
considered transferring, since one of parents' conditions for allowing her to  
attend Furinkan was to at least pass the high school entrance examinations for a  
private school. In some ways, dating Hideo had brought her out of her shell,  
and allowed more people to get to know her.

Unfortunately, they didn't meet under the most desirable of conditions. A  
set of bullies had the idea that they'd pick on her until she would do anything  
for them to get them to stop. Rie agreed at first, in hopes that their promises  
were made in earnest. Gradually, however, their demands became too unsavory,  
and Rie would do nothing to compromise her morals, dignity, and pride. Hideo  
simply happened across them one day while they were harassing her. Words were  
shouted, fists flew, kicks landed, and eventually Hideo was the only one left  
standing.

Of course, Hideo felt his win was inevitable, since he'd been so  
thoroughly trained in martial arts. Rie, on the other hand, was instantly  
infatuated with her savior. Truth be told, he found her attentions annoying at  
first, but gradually warmed up to her. To this day, some of his friends still  
insinuated it was because she began bringing him expensive (and very delicious)  
lunches to school every day. On the contrary, it was because Hideo felt as if  
he found something in her--and their relationship--that he never realized he'd  
been lacking.

It was hard to comprehend something that felt so vast and important, but  
at the same time, so temporary. No matter how he looked at the relationship, it  
seemed as if were doomed to fail. There was his and her future, but no ours.  
As he continued to plan his future, he couldn't envision Rie alongside of him.  
Would she be willing to be the wife of a mere scholar? Would she marry out of  
her wealth and into a family tradition of Martial Arts? Why should she have to  
give up her future, so that he could have his?

Hideo feared that, years from now, they would look back at their past and  
think, Why are we together? What do we even have in common? For the life of  
him, he could pick out no discernable reason why they should remain together  
versus splitting apart. There were little things, of course, but he failed to  
see where they stood in the greater scheme of things.

Why did she have to bring up those accursed rumors now, when they were  
happy? Why did she have to be the first to drive their relationship into ruin?  
If it continued to progress in this fashion, Hideo didn't know if he would be  
able to stay together with Rie for very much longer.

Finally, his wandering feet brought him back home, to the Tendo Dojo.  
Night was just beginning to fall; hopefully, his parents wouldn't be too angry  
about his coming home late. Thankfully, they were fairly lenient in regards to  
Hideo's personal activities. Why shouldn't they be, considering he'd never  
given them any reason for worry?

The house was fairly quiet as he entered, uttering a soft, "Tadaima."

"Come in, we're about to eat dinner," his mother called from the dining  
room. The faint trace of a smirk briefly flashed across Hideo's mouth. Chances  
were his father cooked most of the meal. Though his mother was by no means a  
terrible cook (supposedly, she had needed lots and lots of practice both before  
and after marrying his father), Saotome Ranma was definitely the better cook in  
the family.

Hideo removed his shoes and dropped off his book bag in the entryway.  
Even from here, he could hear the giggles of his little sister as she conversed  
with their parents in the dining area. He shed the jacket of his school uniform,  
and pushed his feet into the slippers someone had thoughtfully set out for him.

His parents didn't say anything aside from the typical greetings to  
acknowledge his arrival when he walked into their dining room, and sat down at  
his place at the table. Tsukiko, on the other hand, squealed with joy and gave  
him a giant bear hug. Hideo picked up his bowl of rice and chopsticks, and  
began to eat. Eventually, his sister returned to her place at the table and  
continued eating her meal.

The conversation was eerily lifeless compared to the usual banter. Hideo  
was so caught up in his own thoughts that he didn't even notice until his father  
cleared his throat audibly.

With a surprised cough, Hideo managed to swallow the mouth of food he'd  
been masticating. "Yes?"

His parents exchanged brief glances. A mass of dread settled itself in  
the pit of Hideo's gut-- this couldn't possibly be good news.

"Hideo," his mother started, "you received another letter from China."

Now he was confused all over again. Hideo received letters from China on  
a near-regular basis, and had for almost all his life. What could be so  
different about this one? "Another letter from Lan? That's nice." Hideo  
continued eating, hoping his parents would drop the issue.

His father frowned. "Hideo, you know she's almost sixteen. Her birthday  
is swiftly approaching."

Hideo rolled his eyes. "Yeah, and I'll be eighteen by the end of this  
year, what's your point?"

Again, his parents looked at each other, with worry pervading their  
expressions this time. Hideo's heartbeat quickened with anxiety. What could  
possibly be wrong? Why were they bringing this up with him?

"Hideo," his mother began again, "you must understand, even we are not  
aware of the full story. However, we were warned a long time ago--during our  
first trip to China, in fact--that this day would come. Do you remember our  
first trip to China? I'm sure you do, because that's when you met both Lan and  
Jie. Well, there are certain matters surrounding Joketsuzoku, Lan's birth, and  
her sixteenth birthday that we were made aware of while we were there."

"And what do they have to do with me?" Hideo demanded. "You didn't go and  
do something stupid like putting me in an arranged marriage, did you?"

"Watch your mouth, son!" his father barked. "How could you even think  
we'd do something like that to you, after being subjected to it ourselves?"

A sardonic smile planted itself on Hideo's face. "Well, it seems to have  
worked out for you two."

Hideo's father opened his mouth to speak again, but stopped when his  
mother placed her fingers gently on his arm. "Tsukiko, could you go upstairs to  
your room for now, please?"

His sister didn't need to be told twice. Her eyes had widened into  
saucers when their father had raised his voice. Obligingly, she stood up from  
her place at the dinner table. Soon, they could hear her pattering footsteps  
clamoring up the stairs.

"Now," his mother continued, "let's start over from the beginning, shall  
we?"

* * *

_They were leaving soon, but he would not accompany them. Instead, he was  
to stay here in the care of his parents' longtime friend, until they returned to  
retrieve their son. Truth be told, he was both a little frightened and a little  
excited about the prospect of being away from his parents for a time. They  
would never abandon him, he knew, but neither had they ever let him out of their  
sight for too long. And now he was to be alone... alone, but not at home._

_He hoped they would not be gone long, yet he also hoped they would be gone  
long enough to give him time to atone for the recent mishap. The girl and her  
cousin had avoided him lately, both remaining wary. Hideo had no desire to  
become either one of their enemies. Despite his efforts towards reconciliation,  
only the girl had seemed receptive of his apologies. Her cousin was more  
steadfast in his blatant disfavor._

_Speaking with the girl's father had been helpful, as the man served as a  
translator. Through him, Hideo had learned that his two friends were named Lan  
and Jie. Uncle Mousse had also suggested he buy something for her as a gift.  
From the local market in a nearby town, he'd found something perfect-- a gilded  
mirror, the metal of its frame decorated in elaborate wreaths of orchid flowers.  
Even at this early age, Hideo felt that Lan was very beautiful. She was sure to  
appreciate this gift, and he would make sure of it._

_When he presented it to her, he spoke the Chinese words Uncle Mousse had  
practiced over and over with him. "You... You're very b-beautiful," he stumbled  
over the awkward pronunciations of a language he didn't speak. "I'm s-s-sorry  
about w-what happened b-before. I hope whenever y-you look in this m-mirror,  
you will think of me, and remember m-me."_

_The girl smiled at his words, seemingly understanding. She reached both  
hands over to accept the mirror from him and gazed into it, the smile never  
leaving her face. Then, she leaned over, and kissed his cheek. "Thank you,"  
she whispered into his ear with a giggle._

_A shocked outcry reached their ears._

_Looking up, they both saw Jie, standing close enough nearby to see  
everything that had transpired. For a silent moment, he stared at them in  
surprise, his gaze alternating between Lan and Hideo. Then, anger and rage  
clouded his face, and he turned and ran..._

* * *

Now that he knew the full story of what his parents asked of him--or at  
least, as much as they knew--Hideo wasn't sure he wanted to through with it at  
all. Lying down on his bed, he stared at the ceiling, silently contemplated all  
that had transgressed downstairs. Lan's letter lay across his stomach. As he  
mused, he occasionally picked it up to skim over the neat, concise Japanese  
writing. In short, she wanted him to visit. And, somehow, his parents had  
known she would ask him to go. 

Taking off from school suddenly to go to China would certainly not bode  
well for the rumors at school. Rie might not be able to handle the sudden  
abandonment, but there was not much else Hideo could do. As martial artists,  
his parents had made a promise, and it was up to him to keep it for them. He  
didn't fully understand, but he would do as they asked. It was fortunate for  
him that their plans coincided with his, albeit for very different reasons.

Perhaps this was exactly what he needed to do to find what he wanted in  
life. Perhaps it was finally time for a much-needed vacation, to leave this  
stifling place behind and see the vastness of China's scenery again. He still  
vividly remembered the giant mountain peeks jutting out through the mist, the  
sights and sounds of bustling city life. It was... different than Japan.

Hideo had only been to China once, but it had left a deep impression on  
his life. It was the first and only big vacation his parents had ever taken,  
even after Tsukiko had been born. Since then, their family had traveled to  
several local places within Japan, but Tsukiko had never been out of the country.  
Briefly, he wondered at that fact, but chose not to dwell on the issue.  
Presently, it was not important.

If he went now, he had an idea of what he was meant to do. He would  
definitely see Lan and Jie again, and perhaps finally help make peace between  
the troubled cousins. But did his parents need to know the entirety of his  
travels?

After all, he had figured out later where they'd gone when they left him  
in the care of Lan's father for those few days. He'd done more research,  
written more letters to China that his parents didn't know about.

Lan wasn't his only penpal in China.

Now resolved to the path he had chosen, he set about considering how to  
achieve his goals.

End of Chapter 8


	9. Tournament

_Still they sat, still they debated, but some issues had finally begun to be  
resolved. They had now determined exile to be an unnecessary punishment;  
instead, he would remain a lame duck in his status as the Matriarch's widow.  
Sadly, it came at the cost of being considered anathema by those who knew the  
circumstances surrounding her death. The only saving grace of this existence  
was the luxury of raising the two children--for the time being, they would  
remain in his household. The committee expected he would feel it was a worthy  
sacrifice.  
_

_"Then it's decided," Chen Fang stated, looking expectantly at the faces around  
her, amongst which numbered members of the most noble houses. Many of them also  
had the distinct honor of being considered her most trusted advisors. "This is  
precisely the course of action we shall take to deal with the matter."_

_A chorus of voices sounded in agreement, though some more reluctant than others.  
Not all members of their committee agreed with the conclusion of their lengthy  
debate. Nevertheless, they all felt that despite its possible future pitfalls,  
there was no better option than the one they had chosen. It alone managed to  
preserve their village's honor and pride, and would not punish any innocents for  
the accident of their birth..._

**Descendants**  
(a sequel to Here Comes Neko!)  
A Ranma Nibunnoichi fan fiction  
by Luna Hinomura

Chapter 9: Tournament

The day of the tournament's opening had finally arrived, but with no word from  
her Japanese pen pal in sight. Perhaps it would have been wiser to have avoided  
raising the issue with the lady Chen, but it was done and over with. The two of  
them--Chen Fang and her apprentice Jie--still vehemently disapproved of her  
decision to include Hideo's presence at the tournament.

Well and so, what could be done about it now? There had been no reply from  
Hideo, and she could not very well send another letter retracting her previous  
words. To do so would be extremely inconsiderate and hardly diplomatic for a  
young lady in her position. If Hideo attended, then he would attend. If not,  
well, perhaps Jie's attitude would be somewhat mollified.

Anticipation enveloped her heart, and Lan could not cease wringing her hands.  
This event could quite possibly single-handedly determine her entire future: she  
suspected the tournament was scheduled a week to the day before her sixteenth  
birthday for a good reason. The exact details had never been fully disclosed to  
her, but she heard enough in the undertones of her advisor's voices. Chen Fang  
herself had provided hints and suggestions of the same nature.

Her cousin Jie had already passed his own sixteenth birthday nearly a year ago,  
but no celebration was held. Few people knew the date of his birth, as the  
circumstances surrounding it were not of the most pleasant variety. It was  
unfair for him to live in the shadow of his mother's disgrace, and unlike so  
many others, Lan had never hated him for it. Indeed, she still loved her cousin  
as best she could despite the bitter relations between them now.

A major factor of their falling out had been Hideo. Reflecting on it now, Lan  
wondered if perhaps she were just as stubborn and selfish as her cousin. After  
all, even if she did want Hideo to visit in hopes that two of the men she loved  
best in her life would put their past to rest, it wasn't the only reason. Truth  
be told, she even felt a sense of romantic love for Hideo, just a little. As  
much as she valued her life's situation as it was now, she envied Hideo's  
freedom. From his letters, she could sense the rebellious streak in his nature.  
It mirrored her own sentiments, at times: the feeling that all her destiny  
encompassed was to simply become the Matriarch of a backwards Chinese village.  
Though she diligently performed all her duties as she was assigned, she truly  
cared close to naught of politics. Oftentimes, it even seemed to her as if the  
villagers had no use of a Matriarch, for they'd handled themselves well enough  
without one these sixteen years past.

Still, even the occasional symptom of doubt could not shake her resolution--she  
was content to live her life this way, as eventless and tedious as it could  
often be, and usually was. Her obligation to her post remained stout and  
unwavering. The life she'd been given was the greatest gift her parents could  
bestow upon her, and she would not allow that gift to come to shame. Lan was  
proud of her bloodline, though she grieved that her mother died while giving  
birth to her.

She and Jie shared that much in common, at least. Neither one of the two  
cousins would ever know their own mother. However, while Jie had no interest in  
ever learning anything about his exiled mother, Lan wondered almost every day  
and night about what her own mother had been like. It was sad that her father  
had never really come to terms with her death, because as a result, Lan had no  
one to ask when she wanted to learn more about the woman who should have been  
Matriarch. Sometimes, Lan's very appearance reminded her father too much of his  
deceased wife, and he could not speak for the tears choking up his throat.  
Lately, as his health waned and his mind deteriorated, it had become steadily  
worse.

Did the villagers also suspect Mousse's health would reach this state, when they  
chose what fate would befall her sixteenth year? Did they know that the grief  
of losing his wife, the mother of his daughter, would be so acute? Lan could  
only wonder.

Standing in the lavish courtyard of her abode, she transferred the straight  
sword she held in her right hand to her left. The handle had become slick from  
sweat on this hot day in late summer. Lan made a mental note to put sufficient  
chalk on her hands before her performance began--it wouldn't do if she dropped  
the sword in the middle of it. Using the back of her right forearm to wipe the  
sweat from her brow, she breathed another sigh of mixed anxiety and anticipation.  
Thankfully, the tournament was scheduled to last several days, with her  
demonstration being one of the last events in the schedule.

Though preparations for the tournament never seemed to cease, she had made  
certain to allocate sufficient time to practicing her martial art every day that  
she could. With the straight sword being Lan's preferred weapon of choice, it  
was the technique she hoped to show to her audience today--the villagers: her  
people. Its sleek and subtle design often belied its hidden strengths.

Swinging the sword now, she could sense every subtle vibration of its blade as  
it sliced neatly through the air. When she held it, the sword became a part of  
her in mind and body and spirit. Lan would not fail.

Adequate extravagance had been bestowed upon the arrangements made for the  
tournament, certain to impress even the most cynical of her critics. This  
year's tournament would be unlike any other, fit for an Empress and her king.

Suddenly, a distant gong sounded, causing Lan to start. The noise reverberated  
in the still air, lingering for a while before gradually fading into silence.

Feeling a little foolish, Lan chided herself on not paying more attention to the  
time. The gong was to ring periodically throughout the day, as a signal for the  
different events that would be taking place. It was now nearly midmorning, time  
for her to make an appearance and initiate the opening ceremonies. Her people  
awaited her.

* * *

_A myriad of faces stared back at her expectantly, eagerly awaiting whatever  
news--good or bad--they would hear. Months had passed since the first rumors of  
a birth had been whispered. Since then, they had never seen the supposed heir,  
not even a glimpse. For reasons beyond their ken, the esteemed High Council had  
chosen to keep silent, and all information regarding an heir hidden. In the  
aftermath of grief following the Matriarch's death, a blessing of a new life  
gave the villagers hope for the future. They had grieved long enough; it was  
time for a new beginning._

_She stood before them, having been the one chosen to make the proclamation and  
answer all questions. Let those who mistrusted her sudden very political rise  
in status be suspicious; she had nothing to hide. From high on the balcony top,  
her voice would carry and be heard by all. Those who were not present would be  
told by their friends, family, or neighbors._

_"My fellow villagers," she spoke, the words ringing across the pavilion, strong  
and clear. "In light of our loss, twice over, may our grief be eased by the  
arrival of a new life. With it brings new hope. We have been blessed with an  
heir, the one who will proudly usher us into a new era. In this modern world  
that does not fully understand us, perhaps new blood bestowed with our  
traditional values is precisely what we lack._

_"My fellow villagers, I am honored to present to you: our future Matriarch. Her  
name is Yilan." Here, another member of the council passed the newborn baby into  
her arms._

_As she held baby Lan high and in plain sight, a sustained cheer of applause  
arose from the crowd._

* * *

It was obvious that people had already begun to immerse themselves in the many  
festivities available to them, though the official opening ceremonies had not  
yet commenced. Some of the people attending or competing in the tournament  
lived a great distance away from the main village, and had traveled here by foot.  
Family members and longtime friends exchanged embraces, always grateful for the  
rare chance to see each other again. 

A cheer rang through the air when Lan finally stepped out onto the balcony-like  
platform they used for most announcements. It was stationed somewhere near the  
center of the village, having been considered a convenient location for it  
before being built. From this vantage point, most of the main village was  
visible, save the very outskirts. In the midst of all the excitement, Lan  
continued to scan the horizon with a careful eye, seeking a familiar face. If  
it was there, she did not see it. If it was not there, it mattered little--the  
tournament would continue regardless.

Her gaze drifted past the crowds of cheering people to fall on the official  
fighting arenas. Most of the lesser arenas were simply square plots of land,  
the dirt patted down firmly to prevent possible injury. It hadn't been  
difficult to set those up, as their design varied little from year to year.  
Nevertheless, Lan allowed a smug smile of approval to cross her lips.  
Additionally, she and her advisors had arranged for several kiosks to serve food  
or sell wares. Amongst those were weapon makers, eager to exchange the  
commodities of their family's skills for coin.

Each day, competitors of different rankings would face each other. Those who  
lost were disqualified, while those who won would advance to the next round.  
Eventually, a final champion would be named. Only females were allowed to  
compete, though men were allowed to challenge any winner after a fight. Most of  
the competitions that would go on for the first few days were of little interest.  
Later during the week, when the most skilled martial artists of their village  
competed, the men of their village would take their chances at proving  
themselves worthy to a future bride.

The final elimination rounds would take place not on the ground, but suspended  
in the air. In the final arena, a large log hung suspended horizontally between  
two equally large posts. There, they would fight while hindered in movement on  
all sides but two--forward and back. The dangers of balancing on a swaying log  
while fending off a skilled martial arts opponent was a challenge worthy of only  
the best in their village.

Though Lan would not compete this year, she would perform her straight sword  
routine there on that log, later this week. Year after year, tournament after  
tournament, her mother had continuously won honor for their house and their  
lineage. Lan intended to do the same, though not through competition.  
As she stood there, admiring her work and basking in the laurels, Lan felt a  
presence approach to stand at her side. Before she could turn to identify the  
presence, the deep and melodic voice that spoke betrayed the woman's identity.

"It's time for your opening ceremonies speech, young Yilan," Chen Gu'niang  
informed her. "You know... sixteen years ago, I stood in the very same place  
that you are standing now. I had the honor of presenting you to the people as  
the Matriarch's heir, and our village's future Matriarch. Soon, the time will  
come for you to assume that role. I trust you will not disappoint us, then?"

"No," Lan said firmly with resolution, her eyes still focused on the cheering  
crowd before her. "I will not."

End of Chapter 9


End file.
